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The  Glenn  Negley  Collection 
of  Utopian  Literature 


A.  D.  2000 


BY 

LIEUT.  ALVARADO  M.  FULLER 
U.  S.  A. 


CHICAGO 

Laird  &  Lee  Publishers 
1890 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred 
ind  ninety,  by  LAIRD  &  LEE,  in  the  office  of  the  librarian  of  Con- 
gress at  Washington. 

(All  rights  reserved.) 


PREFACE 

Lest  originality  of  title  and  theme  be  denied, 
it  is  but  justice  to  myself  to  state  that  both  were 
assumed  in  November,  1887.  My  thanks  are  due  to 
Lieutenant  D.  L.  Brainard,  Second  Cavalry,  for  the 
true  copy  of  the  record  of  the  Greely  party  left  in 
the  cairn  at  the  farthest  point  on  the  globe  ever 
reached  by  man — 83  degrees  24  minutes  North  Lati- 
tude, 40  degrees  46  minutes  West  Longitude. 

The  Author. 


THE 

WILLIAM  R.  PERKINS 

LIBRARY 

OF 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY 


Rare  Books 

UTOPIA 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 
Junius  Cobb's  Marvelous  Discovery g 

CHAPTER  II 
A  Startling  Proposition 31 

CHAPTER  III 
Preparing  for  the  Test 45 

CHAPTER  IV 
Jean  Colchis,  Conspirator  and  Savant 61 

CHAPTER  V 
On  the  Eve  of  a  Century's  Sleep 80 

CHAPTER  VI 
Faithful  unto  Death 101 

CHAPTER  VII 

"You  Say  this  is  A.  D.  2000?" 108 

CHAPTER  VIII 
San  Francisco  in  the  Twenty-First  Century..    130 

CHAPTER  IX 

The  Central  Pneumatic  Railroad .  . .  .    150 

CHAPTER  X 
Under  the  Central  Sea 168 

CHAPTER  XI 
The  Army  of  Instruction 199 

CHAPTER  XII 
Junius  Cobb  Reads  a  NE^vsPAPER 235 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XIII 
New  York  City — Population  4,000,000 245 

CHAPTER  XIV 
The  Law  of  the  Land 261 

CHAPTER  XV 
The  Sympathetic  Telegraph 278 

CHAPTER  XVI 
Chicago  the  Metropolis  of  the  Country 299 

CHAPTER  XVII 
Niagara  Falls  Harnessed .    309 

CHAPTER  XVIII 
The  Mystery  of  the  Copper  Cylinder 315 

CHAPTER  XIX 
Resurrected 332 

CHAPTER  XX 
An  Aerial  Voyage 347 

CHAPTER  XXI 
The  Transatlantic  Life-Saving  Stations 363 

CHAPTER  XXII 
Locating  the  North  Pole 380 

CHAPTER  XXIII 
United  at  Last 396 

CHAPTER  XXIV 
Conclusion 404 


A.  D.  2000 


CHAPTER  I 

"Number  three!  half-past  eleven  o'clock — and 
all's  well!" 

"All  is  well!  "  came  the  response  from  the  sentry 
at  the  guard-house,  while  the  sharp  click  of  his 
piece  as  he  brought  it  to  his  shoulder  and  the 
heavy  tread  of  his  retreating  footsteps  were  all  that 
was  heard  to  break  the  stillness  that  reigned  su- 
preme throughout  the  garrison. 

It  was  a  dark,  dreary,  foggy  night.  The  heavy  at- 
mosphere seemed  laden  with  great  masses  of  fleet- 
ing vapor,  and  the  walks  of  the  post  and  the  ground 
surrounding  them  were  as  wet  as  if  a  heavy  shower 
had  just  spent  its  force. 

Such  was  the  Presidio  of  San  Francisco,  Califor- 
nia, a  military  post  of  the  United  States  government, 
on  the  night  of  November  17th,  1887.  The  lights  of 
the  garrison  made  little  effect  upon  that  thick  and 
saturated  atmosphere;  yet  the  little  that  they  did 
make  only  seemed  to  add  more  to  the  depth  of  the 
surrounding  gloom. 

In  the  officers'  club-room,  near  the  main  parade, 
9 


IO  A.    D.     2000 

was  gathered  a  jolly  party  of  old  and  young  officers. 
The  rooms  were  handsomely,  even  superbly,  fur- 
nished. The  billiard-tables  were  in  full  blast;  the 
card-tables  were  occupied;  while  many  sat  and 
chatted  upon  the  various  military  topics  which  are 
ever  a  part  of  the  soldier's  life. 

In  a  set  of  officers'  quarters,  some  distance  away 
from  the  main  parade,  were  assembled  three  subal- 
terns of  the  line.  The  room  was  bright  and  cheer- 
ful, and  the  decanters  upon  the  table  showed  that 
they  knew  of  the  good  cheer  of  the  world.  The  fur- 
niture upon  which  the  officers  sat  and  reclined,  as 
also  about  the  room,  gave  evidence  of  refinement 
and  education;  while  the  cases  stacked  with  books, 
near  the  entrance,  bespoke  a  tendency  and  desire  on 
the  part  of  the  occupant  of  the  quarters  for  the  im- 
provement of  his  mind.  A  grate  fire  in  the  angle 
threw  its  cheerful  rays  upon  those  present,  while 
the  luxuriousness  and  warmth  of  the  whole  room 
was  in  direct  contrast  with  the  gloominess  and 
cold  without. 

Opening  from  the  main  room  through  a  curtained 
door  was  a  second  room,  the  inside  of  which  was  a 
study.  There  was  no  carpet  upon  the  floor,  and 
the  boards  gave  evidence  of  having  been  used  by 
many  feet.  Tables  containing  jars  and  many  curi- 
ous vessels,  wires  in  every  direction,  bottles  filled 
and  empty,  maps  and  drawings,  and  instruments  of 
peculiar  form  and  shape,  were  seen  about  the  room. 

In  one  corner  was  a  large  Holtz   machine,  whose 


A.    D.     2000  I  I 

great  disc  of  glass  reflected  back  the  rays  from  the 
lights  in  the  front  room. 

The  three  men  were  soldiers  and  officers  of  the 
army. 

In  the  center  of  the  room,  by  a  small  table  upon 
which  was  a  roll  of  paper,  with  one  hand  holding 
down  the  pages,  while  the  other  was  raised  in  a 
commanding  gesture,  stood  Junius  Cobb,  a  lieuten- 
ant in  the  cavalry  arm  of  the  service.  Sitting  in 
an  easy-chair  near  the  fire,  with  his  legs  on  the 
fender  and  his  eyes  watching  every  movement  of 
the  speaker,  reclined  Lester  Hathaway;  while  mid- 
way between  the  table  and  the  right  side  of  the 
room,   in  a  large  rocker,  sat  Hugh  Craft. 

Lester  Hathaway  was  a  graduate  of  the  military 
academy  of  the  United  States,  as  was  also  Hugh 
Craft;  both  were  lieutenants  in  the  army — the  former 
in  the  infantry,  and  the  latter  in  the  artillery  branch 
of  the  service. 

Lester  Hathaway  was  about  twenty-eight  years  of 
age,  tall  and  slim,  fair-haired,  a  pleasing  face, 
languid  air,  and  a  blase  style.  To  him  the  world 
was  one  grand  sphere  for  enjoyment;  it  was  his 
life,  his  almost  every  thought,  as  to  how  he  could 
pass  his  time  in  an  easy  and  amusing  manner.  Balls, 
parties,  and  dances  were  his  special  vocations. 
With  him  there  was  no  thought  of  the  true  hard- 
ships of  life. 

Young  and  handsome,  courted  by  the  ladies,  he 
could  not  understand  how  it  was  that   others  should 


\2  A.    D.    2000 

occupy  their  minds  with  subjects   of    research  and 
study. 

Hugh  Craft  was  of  a  different  type;  yet,  like 
Hathaway,  he  was  tall  and  thin,  and  about  the  same 
age;  but  here  the  likeness  terminated.  He  was 
darker  than  his  companion,  with  sharp  features, 
an  aquiline  nose,  and  a  chin  denoting  great  firm- 
ness. His  eye  was  piercing,  and  wandered  from 
one  object  to  another  with  the  rapidity  of  light- 
ning. He  was  much  more  of  a  student  than  Hath- 
away, delighting  in  all  that  portion  of  the  sci- 
ences touching  the  marvelous;  a  good  listener  to 
the  views  of  others.  Altogether,  Hugh  Craft  was 
a  man  worthy  to  be  the  partner  of  a  scientific  man 
in  a  great  enterprise. 

Junius  Cobb,  the  central  figure  in  the  room,  de- 
serves more  than  a  passing  description.  He  was  a 
man  about  thirty-three  years  of  age,  of  medium 
height,  but  of  a  full  and  well-developed  form, 
black  eyes,  a  pleasing  countenance,  a  dark  mustache 
nearly  covering  his  lips,  square  chin,  and  eyebrows 
meeting  in  the  center  of  the  face — all  tokens  of  a 
great  firmness  and  decision.  He  was  one  who  had 
given  many  of  his  days  and  nights  to  hard  study  in 
science,  in  political  economy,  and,  in  fact,  had 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  almost  all  of  the  various 
progressive  undertakings  of  his  day. 

Outside  of  his  duties,  Junius  Cobb  had  employed 
every  spare  moment  of  his  time  in  experimenting 
in  chemistry  and  electricity.     The  room  off  the  sit- 


A.    D.    2000  13 

ting-room,  where  the  three  gentlemen  were  gathered 
this  dark  and  foggy  night,  was  his  workshop,  into 
which  no  man  was  permitted  to  go  save  he  him- 
self. Its  mysterious  contents  were  known  to  no 
other  person. 

His  friends  would  come  and  visit  him,  and  sit  for 
hours  talking  and  chatting,  but  no  invitation  was 
ever  accorded  them  to  enter  that  single  room. 

"Craft,"  and  Cobb  pointed  his  finger  at  that  per- 
sonage in  an  impatient  manner,  "we  have  often  dis- 
cussed these  matters,  I  will  admit,  but  it  is  a  theme 
I  like  to  talk  upon.  Do  you  believe  in  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul?" 

"Why,  of  course,"  replied  that  person,  looking 
surprised. 

"And  you,  too,  Hathaway?"  continued  Cobb,  ad- 
dressing the  other. 

"Most  certainly  I  do,"  was  the  reply. 

"Now,  do  either  of  you  believe  that  the  living 
body  can  be  so  prepared  that  it  will  continue  to 
hold  the  scul  within  its  fleshly  portals  for  years 
without  losing  that  great  and  unknown  essence?" 
and  Cobb  fixed  his  sparkling  eyes  upon  his  listen- 
ers. 

"Yes,"   answered  Craft;    "but  by  God  alone." 

"I  do  not  mean  by  God,"  quickly  returned  the 
other.     "God  is  all  powerful;   but  by  man?  ' 

"Then,  of  course,  I  would  say  that  it  cannot  be 
done." 

"But  if  I  were  to  show  you  that  it  was  a  fact,  an 


H 


A.    T).    2000 


accomplished  fact,  you  would,  of  course,  admit  it?" 

"No,  Cobb.  Look  here,  old  fellow,"  pettishly 
exclaimed  Hathaway,  rising  from  his  chair,  "what  is 
all  this  about,  anyway?" 

Cobb  glanced  at  him  with  an  expression  of  pity, 
and  quickly  replied: 

"I  mean,  Hathaway,  that  it  is  in  my  power  to  hold 
the  life  of  mortal  man  within  its  living  body  for  an 
unlimited  time.  I  mean  that  I  can  take  your  body, 
Hathaway,  and  so  manipulate  it  that  you  will  be, 
to  all  appearance,  dead;  but  your  soul,  or  whatever 
you  choose  to  call  it,  will  still  be  in  your  body; 
and  further,  that  after  a  certain  time  you  will 
again  come  to  life,  having  all  your  former  freshness 
and  youth." 

Cobb  stood  at  the  table  with  his  hand  upon  the 
pages  of  his  book,  and  a  smile  upon  his  face  which 
seemed  to  say,  "Deny  it  if  you  can." 

Hathaway  and  Craft  looked  at  him  in  amazement. 
These  men  had  known  Cobb  to  be  a  student,  but 
neither  of  them  had  ever  thought  him  demented. 

The  proposition  advanced  by  him  seemed  so  ter- 
ribly contrary  to  all  the  principles  of  science,  nat- 
ural law,  and  life,  that  neither  of  them  could  be- 
lieve that  the  man  was  in  earnest. 

Both  Hathaway  and  Craft  had  often  come  to 
Cobb's  quarters,  and  exchanged  ideas  with  him  con- 
cerning various  and  many  topics;  both  knew  him 
to  be  a  student  of  chemistry  and  philosophy,  and 
that  he  worked  many  hours  in  his  little  back  room. 


A.    D.    2000  15 

They  knew  that  he  worked  with  chemicals  and 
electricity,  and  both  knew  him  to  be  a  very  pecul- 
iar man,  yet  neither  of  them  had  ever  before 
seemed  to  be  imbued  with  the  belief  that  the  man 
was  of  unsound  mind.  The  grave  and  startling 
statement  advanced  by  Cobb  had  so  astonished 
them  that  it  was  impossible  to  think  him  sane. 

"Yes,"  continued  Cobb,  "I  have  found  this  power. 
I  have  no  doubt  that  it  strikes  you  with  amazement 
that  I  should  even  suggest  such  an  almost  prepos- 
terous theory.  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  almost 
think  me  insane;  but  my  researches  in  the  past 
few  years  have  been  rewarded  by  the  most  startling 
discoveries.  We  have  all  imagined,  for  many 
years,  that  as  soon  as  the  body  was  deprived  of  air 
for  a  considerable  time,  life  would  become  extinct, 
or,  in  other  words,  that  life  could  not  exist  with- 
out air.  Such  is  not  the  case — ah!  do  not  start," 
he  exclaimed,  seeing  both  Hathaway  and  Craft  bend 
forward  inquiringly  in  their  chairs.  "I  repeat,  such 
is  not  the  case.  Without  the  oxygen  in  the  air,  the 
blood  of  man  would  be  white,  yet  it  would  possess 
all  the  properties  necessary  to  continue  life.  But 
one  thing  must  not  be  confounded  with  this  state- 
ment:  oxygen  is  necessary  for  life  with  action,  but 
not  necessary  for  life  without  action.  A  strange 
statement,  is  it  not?  Am  I  tedious?"  he  asked, 
looking  at  his  listeners. 

"No;  not  at  all,"  they  both  exclaimed.  "Please 
continue,   for  we  are  very  much  interested." 


1 6  A.    L>.    2000 

"Well,"  and  Cobb's  eyes  flashed  as  he  warmed 
up  to  his  subject,  "it  was  long  ago  discovered  that 
there  was  a  peculiar  odor  arising  upon  the  passage 
of  a  current  of  electricity  through  oxygen  gas;  this 
was  also  perceived  even  in  working  an  electrical 
machine.  This  odor  was  named  ozone.  Both  of  you 
gentlemen  are  sufficiently  proficient  in  chemistry 
for  me  to  pass  over  the  various  methods  by  which 
ozone  can  be  manufactured,  yet  I  think  it  quite 
necessary  that  I  should  state  a  few  facts  about  this 
very  remarkable  gas,  if,  indeed,  it  can  be  called  a 
gas;  it  is  really  allotropic  oxygen.  Now,  oxygen 
can  be  put  into  a  liquid  state,  or  even  into  a  solid 
state;  yet  it  is  most  difficult  to  keep  it  in  either  of 
those  conditions — so  much  so  that  it  would  be  of  no 
use  for  the  purposes  for  which  I  desire  to  use  it. 
Oxygen  is  contracted  by  passing  an  electric  spark 
through  it,  and  ozone  is  perceived  by  the  peculiar 
odor  arising  therefrom.  If  the  intensity  of  the  cur- 
rent is  increased  sufficiently,  the  oxygen  is  propor- 
tionately decreased  in  bulk.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
oxygen  can  be  reduced  millions  of  times  in  bulk  by 
this  simple  method,  always  provided  that  the  elec- 
trical energy  was  sufficient  at  starting.  You  will 
perceive,"  and  he  hastily  quitted  the  room,  entered 
his  workshop,  and  returned  with  a  small  bottle  fitted 
with  a  tight  stopper,  and  containing  apparently  a 
stick  of  camphor — "you  will  perceive,"  he  contin- 
ued, "when  1  open  this  bottle,  a  most  peculiar  odor, 
a  lightness  in  the  atmosphere,  a  seeming  renewal  of 


A.    D.    2000  17 

life,  and  a  sense  of   languidness  passing  over  you." 

Saying  this,  he  took  out  the  glass  stopper  and 
passed  the  bottle  two  or  three  times  in  front  of 
Hathaway  and  Craft.  As  the  bottle  was  moved 
from  side  to  side,  both  of  them  experienced  a 
strange  sensation;  it  seemed  that  the  air  was  heav- 
ily charged  with  a  something  that  gave  them  feelings 
of  unutterable  lightness,  of  calm  repose,  and  intense 
satisfaction.  The  lights  danced  about  in  thousands 
of  forms,  yet  each  appeared  to  possess  some  true 
and  beautiful  shape.  They  moved,  they  walked  and 
ran,  yet  no  effort  seemed  to  be  required.  It  was  as 
if  they  were  a  part  of  some  living  thing,  yet  not  a 
part:  a  part  of  it  in  that  they  moved  and  had  feel- 
ings coincident  with  it,  yet  not  a  part  because  no 
effort  was  required,  of  brain  or  muscle,  to  be  a  part 
of  it.  For  a  moment  it  seemed  to  each  of  them 
that  a  state  of  exertionless  existence  had  been 
reached,  and  then  each  knew  no  more.  They  lay  in 
their  chairs  apparently  lifeless. 

Cobb  quickly  replaced  the  stopper  in  the  bottle, 
and  took  from  his  nostrils  two  small  pieces  of 
sponge,  which  had  been  saturated  in  some  kind  of 
solution. 

Returning  to  the  back  room,  he  replaced  the  bottle 
on  the  shelf  from  which  he  had  taken  it,  and  came 
back  to  his  position  by  the  table. 

He  watched  Hathaway  and  Craft   a   few  minutes, 
when,  seeing    no    appearance    of  reviving,  he  arose 
and  opened  the  windows    and  wheeled    their  chairs 
A.  D.  2000    i 


1 8  A.    D.    2000 

around  so  that  the  cool  night  air  could  strike  them 
full  in  the  face.  This  done,  he  sat  himself  down 
near  the  table  and  seemed  to  watch  with  great 
earnestness  the  countenances  of  his  two  friends. 

He  had  sat  this  way  but  a  moment,  when  a  sigh 
escaped  the  lips  of  Craft,  his  eyes  opened,  and  he 
gazed  about  him  with  a  most  puzzled  and  dazed 
expression. 

Cobb  sprang  quickly  to  his  side,  and  presented  a 
glass  of  wine  to  his  lips. 

"There,"  he  said,  "take  some  of  that,  old  fellow; 
you  will  feel  like  your  former  self  in  a  moment." 

Craft  drank  the  liquor  without  saying  a  word; 
then,  raising  himself,  he  looked  Cobb  in  the  eyes, 
and  asked: 

"Have  I  been  asleep,  Cobb,  or  what  is  the  mat- 
ter? I  feel  as  if  I  had  just  awakened  from  a  most 
delicious  slumber,  a  most  refreshing  one,  and  yet  I 
had  no  dreams,  nor  does  it  seem  that  I  am  fatigued 
in  the  least." 

At  this  moment  Hathaway  opened  his  eyes,  and 
also  in  a  dazed  manner  viewed  his  surroundings. 

"Why,  bless  me,  I  have  been  asleep!  "  he  exclaimed. 

Cobb  quickly  filled  a  second  glass  of  wine  and 
gave  it  to  him,  saying :  "Drink  that;  you  will  feel  all 
right  in  a  jiffy." 

Hathaway  emptied  the  glass,  and  then,  looking  at 
Craft,  said: 

"I  know  now;  it  was  the  bottle,  or  rather  the 
contents,  that  has  caused  us  both  to  fall  asleep." 


A.  d.  2000  ig 

"Yes, :'  said  Cobb,  "it  was  the  contents  of  that  bot- 
tle that  has  caused  you  both  to  enter  the  first  stages 
of  death." 

"How  long  has  this  sleep  continued?"  asked 
Craft. 

"About  ten  minutes." 

"And  was  I  also  asleep  as  long?"  asked  Hatha- 
way. 

"Yes;  a  little  longer,"  returned  Cobb.  "Craft 
awoke  first." 

Pausing  to  light  a  cigar,  he  then  resumed: 

"How  do  you  feel — sick  or  languid?" 

"Oh,  as  for  me,  not  at  all,"  spoke  up  Craft.  "I 
cannot  say  that  I  feel  any  ill  effect  from  the 
drug." 

"Nor  I,"  said  Hathaway,  "except  that  I  am  a  lit- 
tle dry,"   with  a  laugh. 

"Then  take  some  of  this  wine,"  and  Cobb  filled 
a  glass  for  each  of  them.  "It  will  brace  up  your 
nerves." 

They  drank  the  wine,  and  appeared  to  suffer  no 
evil  effects  from  their  enforced  sleep. 

"Will  you  not  smoke,  also?"  asked  Cobb,  as  he 
passed  over  a  box  of  fine  Havana  cigars.  Each 
took  one,  and  Cobb  laid  the  box  aside. 

Soon  the  clouds  of  smoke  rising  to  the  ceiling  re- 
newed the  scene  of  warmth  and  sociability  which  had 
prevailed  before  the  uncorking  of  the  bottle  of 
ozone. 

"You,  gentlemen,"   said  Cobb,  drawing    his  chair 


20  A.     D.    2000 

to  the  fire,  and  taking  a  seat  near  the  others,  "have 
seen  pure  ozone  in  its  solid  state,  and  you  both 
have  felt  its  effect.  It  is  the  life-giving  principle 
of  oxygen.  Ozone  is  everywhere;  in  the  air,  of 
course;  in  all  creation,  in  fact.  I  do  not  wish  to 
tire  you,  but  if  you  desire,  I  will  explain  why  I 
said  that  I  had  the  power  to  hold  life  in  the  human 
body  for  an  indefinite  time." 

"You  will  not  tire  us.  Pray  go  on;  I,  for  one, 
am  most  anxious  to  know  more  of  this  wonderful 
discovery  of  yours,"   quickly  returned  Craft. 

"I  also  can  listen  for  hours  to  your  words,"  an- 
swered Hathaway. 

"Then,  I  will  explain  to  you  my  researches  in 
this  direction;"  and  Cobb  arose  and  entered  his  lit- 
tle back  room,  soon  returning  with  a  good-sized  box, 
which  he  laid  upon  the  table. 

Craft  and  Hathaway  watched  him  with  an  ear- 
nestness which  gave  evidence  of  the  interest  they 
took  in  the  strange  theories  which  he  had  advanced. 
Indeed,  it  was  a  most  strange,  not  to  say  terrible, 
power  for  a  man  to  possess — that  of  holding  the 
soul  of  man  within  its  fleshly  portals  during  his 
pleasure. 

After  Cobb  had  placed  the  box  upon  the  table, 
he  opened  the  roll  of  papers  which  he  had  before 
him  at  the  time  he  got  the  bottle  of  ozone.  Refer- 
ring to  one  of  the  pages,  he  looked  toward  Hatha- 
way and  said: 

"Can  you  tell  me  how  many  cubic  feet  of  air  the 


A.    t>.    2000  21 

average  man  requires  in  every  twenty-four   hours?" 
Hathaway,  taken   by  surprise,  hesitated,  blushed, 
and    admitted    that     he    had    forgotten    the    exact 
amount. 

"Well,"  continued  the  other,  quickly,  "it  is  not 
to  be  supposed  that  you  should  remember  the  an- 
swer to  such  a  question,  so  I  will  tell  you.  A 
healthy  man,  in  action,  consumes  about  686,000 
cubic  inches  in  every  twenty-four  hours.  Now,  what 
I  wish  to  have  you  understand  by  that,  is  this:  that 
the  average  man  requires  about  137,200  cubic  inches 
of  oxygen  in  every  twenty-four  hours.  This  is  the 
accepted  way  of  putting  it;  in  reality,  he  needs 
the  ozone  contained  in  that  amount  of  oxygen.  I 
do  not  desire  that  you  should  receive  the  impres- 
sion that  the  oxygen  is  not  needed  for  the  man,  but 
that  the  ozone  only  is  required  for  the  continu- 
ance of  life  where  there  is  no  action.  I  may  sur- 
prise you  when  I  say  that  each  of  you  draws  into 
your  lungs,  every  day,  over  seven  pounds  of  oxy- 
gen gas,  but  such  is  the  case.  Now,  in  those  seven 
pounds  of  oxygen  there  are  just  two  grains  of  pure 
ozone.  Do  not  interrupt  me,"  as  Craft  attempted 
to  speak;  "I  know  what  you  would  say — that  that 
is  contrary  to  the  accepted  opinion  on  the  subject, 
and  that  the  amount  is  much  greater — but  let  me 
tell  you  that  my  researches  have  found  it  entirely 
different :  two  grains  only,  to  seven  pounds  of  oxygen, 
or  thirty-five  pounds  of  common  air.  You  will  per- 
ceive by  the  above  that  each  of  you  requires  nearly 


22  A.    IJ.    2000 

two  grains  of  ozone  per  day.  or  about  700  grains  per 
year.  Now,  if  by  any  freak  of  nature  you  could  re- 
main in  a  perfectly  passive  state,  doing  nothing, 
exercising  no  action  at  all,  this  amount  of  700  grains 
would  fall  to  about  400  grains;  that  is,  the  blood 
would  require  that  amount  to  continue  to  perform 
its  vital  functions.  Thus  you  see  that  you  would 
require  for  the  maintenance  of  life  for  a  hundred 
years,  40,000  grains.  This  is  equivalent  to  nearly 
seven  pounds  of  ozone.  Ozone,  as  you  have  already 
ascertained,  cannot  be  taken  into  the  system 
through  the  nostrils  without  serious  consequences. 
It  is  too  powerful,  and  would  soon  cause  paralysis 
and  death;  but  it  can  be  taken  into  the  system 
through  the  pores  of  the  body  without  danger  to 
life.  Again,  ozone  can  be  kept  in  the  solid  state 
under  the  pressure  of  two  atmospheres;  reduce  this 
pressure,  and  it  will  begin  to  evaporate.  Crystals 
of  stronetic  acid,  you  both  know,  quickly  decompose 
carbonic  acid  gas.  Now,  the  whole  secret  is  this: 
If  insensibility  is  first  produced  by  any  of  the  va- 
rious means  at  our  command,  and  the  subject  is  then 
placed  in  a  receptacle  sufficiently  strong  to  with- 
stand a  pressure  of  over  two  atmospheres,  and  sur- 
rounded by  crystals  of  ozone  and  stronetic  acid 
in  certain  proportions,  insensibility  will  continue, 
and  the  subject  will  in  no  way  change,  save  a 
slight  decrease  in  weight.  Life  is  there,  and  will 
continue  there  until  the  ozone  is  entirely  exhausted. 
To  compensate  for  the  loss    in  weight,  the    subject 


A.    D.    2000  2^ 

is  bound  about  the  abdomen  with  cloths  saturated 
in  certain  oils  and  preparations  which  I  have  as- 
certained will  furnish  all  the  nourishment  required 
for  a  given  period." 

Craft  and  Hathaway  could  not  help  looking  at 
this  man  in  amazement. 

Was  this  the  man  with  whom  they  had  played 
billiards,  with  whom  they  had  drank  and  associated, 
never  dreaming  that  he  was  engaged  in  any  such  in- 
vestigations? Was  he,  indeed,  crazy?  and  were 
they  the  listeners  to  a  lunatic' s  chattering  dis- 
course? 

Such  were  the  thoughts  that  passed  through  the 
minds  of  both. 

Cobb  stood  watching  the  effect  of  his  words  up- 
on them.  He  noted  every  change  in  their  counte- 
nances; he  read  every  thought  as  it  came  to  their 
minds.  He  spoke  not  a  word,  waiting  for  them  to 
give  utterance  to  the  skeptical  ideas  which  he 
knew  they  entertained. 

"It  is  too  strange!  It  is  too  contrary  to  natural 
law  and  science!  It  is  impossible!"  and  Craft 
arose  as  if  to  go. 

"Yes,  Cobb,"  said  Hathaway,  "this  is  too  much; 
it  is  a  fancy  you  have  gotten,  but  a  fancy  which  can 
never  be  realized.  You  have  allowed  your  theories 
to  become  shadows,  your  shadows  to  become  tangi- 
ble, but  the  tangibility  is  apparent  to  no  one  but 
yourself."     He  too  arose  from  his  chair. 

A  smile  played  upon  the  lips  of  Cobb,  a  smile  of 


24  A.    D.    2000 

perfect  self-satisfaction.      His  eyes  shone  as  if    his 
very  soul  centered  in  them. 

"Look!  "  he  cried;  "look  '  and  behold  for  yourselves 
whether  my  words  are  worthy  of  consideration!  " 

Saying  this,  he  raised  the  lid  of  the  box  on  the 
table;  then,  stepping  back  and  pointing  his  finger 
at  it,  exclaimed,  in  a  tone  of  command,  a  tone  of 
majestic  confidence  in  his  own  power: 

"Look!    Behold  life  in  death;  death  in  life!" 

Craft  took  a  step  forward,  and  glanced  into  the 
box.  A  puzzled  and  ludicrous  expression  came  over 
his  face,  his  lips  parted,  then,  finally,  his  white 
teeth  showed  themselves  as  he  gave  vent  to  a  loud 
and  prolonged  laugh. 

Hathaway  had  by  this  time  advanced  and  obtained 
a  view  of  the  contents  of  the  box. 

"A  cat,  by  all  that's  holy!  "  he  exclaimed;  "a 
poor  dead  cat!  "  and  he  too  joined  in  the  merriment 
of  his  friend. 

Cobb  stood  still,  not  in  the  least  endeavoring  to 
check  their  hilarity,  but  waiting  for  them  to  get 
through. 

Again  the  others  looked  at  the  cat  in  the  box,  and 
again  they  laughed  heartily;  but  seeing  Cobb  so 
quiet,  it  at  last  dawned  upon  them  that  there  was 
something  peculiar  in  the  surroundings  of  the  ani- 
mal. 

In  the  box  which  had  been  brought  out  and  placed 
upon  the  table  was  a  large  Maltese  cat,  lying  upon 
its  side  on  an  asbestos  pillow.      The    head    of    the 


A.    D.     2000  2r 


animal    was    wrapped    with    bandages,  as  was  also 
che  under  part  of  the  body  for  a  space  of  about  two 
inches  above  its  thighs.      The  cushion    upon  which 
it  lay  was  placed  within  what  appeared  to  be  a  zinc 
coffin  of  something  under  ten  inches  in  height      At 
the  head  of  the  cat  was  a  small  saucer-shaped  ves- 
sel with  a    perforated  top,   while    surrounding    the 
whole  was  a  space  of  over  four  inches  in  width      In 
this  space  were  the  remains    of    a    few  crystals    of 
some  white  substance.     The  box  seemed  to  be  lined 
with  glass,  and  a  glass  top    covered    the  whole    its 
sides  seemingly  glued  to  the  sides  of  the  box.' 

"Come,"  said  Craft,  noticing  that  Cobb  was 
waiting  for  some  remark  from  one  or  the  other  of 
them;  "tell  us,  Cobb,  why  you  have  that  cat  lying 
in  that  box.  Is  this  the  principle  you  have  been 
speaking  of?  Are  we  really  to  believe  that  you 
have  m  that  case  an  animal  undergoing  the  treat- 
ment you  have  spoken  of?" 

"Gentlemen,"  answered  Cobb,  with  a  feeling  of 
pride,  "you  have  guessed  it.  One  year  ago  to-night 
at  twelve  o'clock,  I  caused  this  poor  animal  to  be- 
come insensible;  then  placing  it  in  this  case,  with  its 
mouth  and  nostrils  covered,  with  bandages  of  nour- 
ishment about  its  loins,  with  a  cup  of  stronetic  add 
at  its  head,  and  crystals  of  ozone  surrounding  the 
body,  I  hermetically  sealed  the  case.  From  my  ex- 
periments, I  ascertained  that  the  amount  of  ozone 
necessary  for  the  continuance  of  life  in  an  animal 
of  this  size,  and  for  a  period  of  one  year,  was  1,425 


2"b  A.    D.    2COO 

grains.  This  amount  I  put  into  the  case.  You  can 
easily  see  how  near  correct  I  was  in  my  calcula- 
tions, for  there  are  not  over  ten  grains  of  ozone  left 
on  the  floor  of  the  box  to-night.  I  asked  you  here, 
gentlemen,  not  only  to  listen  to  my  lecture  on 
ozone,  but  to  witness  the  return  to  life  of  this  ani- 
mal." 

All  laughter  in  Hathaway  and  Craft  had  changed 
to  a  grave  attention  to  all  that  was  said  by  their 
friend. 

At  last  it  seemed  to  them  that  there  was  some- 
thing, indeed,  in  the  theory  he  advanced.  In  an  at- 
titude of  intense  expectation,  they  awaited  his  next 
move. 

"As  I  have  said,"  continued  Cobb,  "that  cat  was 
placed  in  this  condition  one  year  ago  to-night.  It 
is  my  intention  to  bring  it  to  life  again  this  even- 
ing; but  before  we  begin,  let  us  take  a  glass  of 
wine  and  light  our  cigars,  and  then  to  business." 

He  filled  their  glasses  from  the  decanter  on  the 
table,  and  each  took  a  fresh  cigar  from  the  box. 

Craft  again  sat  himself  down  in  his  chair  and 
leisurely  puffed  clouds  of  smoke  from  his  mouth, 
while  Hathaway  stood  w ith  his  back  to  the  fire. 

Both  were  now  prepared  for  anything  which  Cobb 
might  advance,  for  it  seemed  to  each  of  them  that 
it  was  no  longer  a  question  of  "Is  it  true?"  but  a 
"fact  only  to  be  proved." 

Cobb,  having  left  the  room,  soon  returned  with  a 
small  box  containing  six  cells  of  Grenet  battery  and 


D.    2000  27 


about  ten  feet  of  wire  attached  to  two  pieces  of  cop- 
per.    These  he  placed  upon  the  table. 

Taking  the  box  containing  the  cat,  he  carried  it 
to  the  front  window  and  set  it  upon  a  chair.  En- 
tering once  again  his  little  work-room,  he  brought 
out  three  sponges  and  as  many  strips  of  common 
linen,  and  then  from  a  bottle  in  his  hand  he 
sprinkled  the  sponges  well.  Approaching  Craft, 
he  said : 

"Let  me  bind  this  upon  your  nostrils,  and  at  the 
same  time  caution  you  not  to  open  your  mouth,  but 
to  breathe  through  the  linen  bandage  and    sponge." 

Craft  arose  and  submitted  to  the  operation  of  hav- 
ing his  face  below  the  eyes  covered  by  the  sponge 
and  bandages. 

Cobb  then  approached  Hathaway  and  treated  him 
in  like  manner. 

This  having  been  finished,  he  wrapped  his  own 
face  carefully  with  the  third  bandage.  His  mouth 
was  purposely  left  free  that  he  might  explain  the 
few  remaining  acts  in  his  strange  comedy. 

Going  across  the  room,  he  threw  open  the  win- 
dow to  its  full  extent;  then  coming  back  again,  he 
opened  the  window  before  which  stood  the  chair 
containing  the  box.  Turning  to  his  friends,  he  an- 
swered their  mute  inquiries  by  stating  that  he  took 
these  precautions  lest  the  remaining  ozone  in  the 
case  should,  in  escaping,  overpower  them.  The  air 
passing  through  the  room  from  the  back  window 
would  quickly  carry  out  the  evaporating  ozone. 


28  A.     D.    2000 

"I  will  break  the  glass  top  of  the  case,"  he  said, 
'and  quickly  seize  the  cat,  withdraw  it,  and  throw 
the  box  out  of  the  window." 

Cobb  now  adjusted  the  cloth  about  his  mouth, 
while  the  others  came  closer  to  him  that  they  might 
not  miss  any  part  of  the  proceedings.  Taking  a 
small  hammer  from  a  shelf  near  by,  he  struck  the 
glass  a  smart  blow,  shattering  it  into  many  pieces; 
quickly  seizing  the  cat,  he  drew  it  out  of  the  case 
and  threw  the  latter  out  of  the  window.  Next, 
tearing  off  the  bandages  about  its  loins  and  head, 
he  clapped  the  two  copper  discs  against  the  body  of 
the  animal — one  upon  its  back  and  one  upon  its 
breast,  just  over  the  heart;  then  dropping  the  zincs 
into  the  fluid  of  the  battery,  completed  the  circuit 
by  touching  a  push-button. 

The  effect  was  startling:  the  poor  animal  gave  a 
gasp,  a  shiver  ran  through  its  frame,  its  chest 
heaved  a  moment,  and  it  breathed. 

Quickly  taking  it  to  the  fire,  he  rubbed  it  brisk- 
ly with  a  towel  for  a  couple  of  minutes,  and  then 
laid  it  down  upon  the  warm  rug  near  the  grate,  that 
its  body  might  receive  the  heat  from  the  fire. 

The  animal  lay  but  a  moment  where  he  had  placed 
it;  it  soon  arose  on  its  legs,  walked  around  once  or 
twice,  and  then  quietly  lay  down  in  a  new  posi- 
tion. 

Taking  the  bandages  from  his  face,  Cobb  told  the 
others  to  do  likewise.  The  air  in  the  room  was 
only  slightly  impregnated  with  the  odor  of    ozone. 


A.    D.    2000  29 

The  windows  being  closed,  a  saucer  of  milk  was 
piaced  before  the  cat,  and  the  animal  instantly 
arose  and  lapped  its  contents. 

It  seemed  to  all  present  as  if  the  animal  had 
just  arisen  from  a  sound  sleep.  There  was  no  in- 
dication in  its  manner  that  it  had  undergone  any 
new  or  unusual  treatment. 

It  was  strange!  It  was  more  than  strange — it  was 
marvelous! 

No  longer  was  there  any  doubt  in  the  mind  of 
either  Craft  or  Hathaway.  The  theory  had  been 
plainly  and  truly  demonstrated.  Cobb  had  become 
possessed  of  a  power  unknown  to  any  other  living 
man.  What  would  he  do  with  this  power?  was  the 
question  that  immediately  came  to  the  mind  of  each. 
Would  he  use  it  for  good,  or  for  evil  ?  Was  it  a  play- 
thing that  he  had  discovered?  or  had  he  worked  out 
this  problem  for  some  great  and  grand  undertaking? 

"What  next?"  inquired  Hathaway.  "What  is  the 
next  act  in  this  drama?" 

"To  bed,"  said  Cobb,  glancing  up  at  the  clock. 
"It  is  now  ten  minutes  past  one.  To-morrow  even- 
ing meet  me  here.  Say  nothing,  not  even  a  word, 
about  what  you  both  have  witnessed  and  heard  to- 
night.    Have  I  your  word?"  he  asked,  inquiringly. 

"Yes,  certainly,"  they  replied  together;  "if  you 
wish  us  not  to  speak  of  it." 

"I  do  indeed  wish  it,  and  trust  that  nothing  will 
cause  you  to  divulge  a  single  part  of  this  evening's 
occurrences.    Good-night!" 


30  A.    D.    200C 

Shaking  their  hands  at  the  door,  he  again  said 
good-night  as  they  descended  the  stairway. 

Returning,  he  filled  the  grate  with  more  coal,  and 
threw  himself  down,  without  undressing,  upon  the 
cot  in  the  corner  of  the  room.  A  moment  later,  the 
deep  sound  of  his  breathing  and  the  low  purring  of 
the  cat  on  the  rug  were  the  only  sounds  heard  in 
the  room. 


CHAPTER  II 

The  next  evening,  Junius  Cobb  again  welcomed 
the  arrival  of  his  friends  to  his  apartments. 

The  November  rains  had  set  in  in  reality,  and 
like  the  preceding  evening,  the  post  wore  an  as- 
pect of  moistened  gloom. 

Cobb's  friends  had  come  earlier  than  usual,  for 
the  events  of  the  previous  evening  were  so  vividly 
before  their  minds  that  it  was  impossible  to  await 
the  arrival  of  the  conventional  hour  for  calling 
upon  their  friend. 

They  rattled  up  the  stairs,  knocked  respectfully  at 
his  door,  and  entered  without  waiting  for  his  well- 
known  voice. 

He  was  sitting  in  his  easy-chair,  but  arose  at  the 
first  sound  of  their  approach,  and  as  they  entered, 
cordially  grasped  the  hand  of  each. 

"Boys,  I  am  glad  you  came  earlier  than  is  your 
custom,  "  he  said,  motioning  them  to  chairs. 

"We  could  not  wait  for  nine  o'clock,"  replied 
Hathaway,  breathless  from  running  up  the  stairs. 

"No;  we  couldn't  wait,"  chimed  in  Craft.  "I  do 
believe  I  dreamed  of  nothing  but  ozone,  dead  cats, 
chemistry,  and  the  like,  all  night.  I  am,  in  fact, 
weary  for  want  of  sleep." 

Cobb  did  the  honors  of  his  house,  and  soon  all 
3* 


32  A.    D.    2000 

three  were  quietly  sitting,  and  sending  clouds  of 
smoke  airily  toward  the  ceiling. 

"Any  news  at  the  club?"  inquired  Cobb  of   Craft. 

"Nothing  out  of  the  usual  run.  Dilly,  the  young 
one  from  the  Point,  and  the  others  are  working  hard 
at  a  game  of  cinch." 

"A  good  night  for  a  quiet  game,  or  for  a  quiet 
chat,  too,"   said  Hathaway. 

"Yes,"  said  Cobb;  "but  would  you  rather  play 
cinch  to  remaining  here  and  listening  to  what  I  have 
to  say?" 

"Oh,  no,  my  dear  boy;  excuse  us.  I  left  them  all 
in  their  glor)',  and  hunted  up  Craft,  that  we  might 
the  sooner  get  here,  for  I  have  no  doubt  that  you 
have  some  remarkable  disclosures  to  make  to- 
night." 

"You  are  right;  I  have — and  some  that  will 
probably  strike  you  as  being  the  most  fanciful  and, 
perhaps,  untenable,  you  have  ever  heard,"  returned 
the  other,  looking  his  two  listeners  in  the  eye. 

"Let  that  be  seen  in  the  future,"  they  both  ex- 
claimed. 

"What  is  your  pay?"  abruptly  asked  Cobb,  after 
a  moment's  silence. 

"You  ought  to  know — $1,500  a  year." 

"And  yours  the  same?"  to  Craft,  "both  being  dis- 
mounted officers. " 

"Certainly;  and  a  mighty  small  sum  for  a  man  to 
put  on  style,  go  to  parties,  and  send  bouquets  and 
the  like,  I  assure  you,"  returned  that  personage. 


A.     D.     2000 


33 


"And  mine  is  but  a  trifle  more.  We  are  all  poor, 
impecunious  gentlemen,  are  we  not?" 

"Yes,  decidedly  so,  I  fear;  for  I  am  not  aware 
that  either  of  us  has  anything  outside  of  his  pay," 
answered  Craft. 

"And  what  are  our  chances  for  promotion?  The 
way  things  go  now,  I  will  have  to  serve  fifty  years 
to  become  a  colonel.  Of  course,  I  cannot  serve  that 
long,  as  I  would  be  over  the  maximum  age,"  gloom- 
ily broke  in  Hathaway. 

"It  is  even  so,  gentlemen,"  and  Cobb  knocked 
the  ashes  from  his  cigar.  "Promotion  in  the  army 
is  so  exceedingly  slow  that  none  of  us  can  expect 
to  reach  a  colonelcy;  in  fact,  the  most  that  is  be- 
fore us  is  a  majority.  Here  we  are,  gentlemen  of 
thirty  and  thirty-five  years  of  age,  giving  our  lives 
and  brains  to  this  government  for  a  paltry  $2,000  a 
year.  I,  for  one,  intend  to  remedy  this  sad  state  of 
affairs,"  and  he  arose  and  walked  across  the  room 
in  an  impatient  manner. 

The  others  watched  him  curiously.  His  manner 
of  action  spoke  volumes,  and  indicated  plainly  that 
there  was  something  he  had  to  tell  them  in  con- 
junction with  his  remarks. 

Cobb  strode  nervously  across  the  room  for  a  min- 
ute, then  suddenly  approaching  the  table,  he  filled 
to  the  brim  a  glass  with  whisky  from  one  of  the 
decanters.  Raising  it  to  his  lips  to  drink  its  con- 
tents, he  suddenly  paused,  and  begging  the  pardon 

A.   D.  2000    3 


34  A-    D-  2000 

of  his  guests,  invited  them  to  join  him.  His 
thoughts  were  not  upon  his  actions. 

"Listen,"  he  exclaimed,  as  their  glasses  were 
laid  upon  the  table;  "are  you  ready  to  give  me  your 
strictest  attention?" 

"We  are  all  ears,  and  will  gladly  listen  to  all 
you  have  to  say,"  answered  Craft,  while  Hathaway' s 
eyes  and  manner  betokened  the  curiosity  he  could  not 
conceal. 

"Are  you  both  willing  to  give  your  oaths  that 
what  I  tell  you  to-night  will  never,  under  any  cir- 
cumstances, be  divulged  by  either  of  you  to  a  liv- 
ing soul,  or  ever  put  in  writing,  or.  in  any  manner 
made  possible  to  be  known?" 

Both  of  the  men  gave  him  this  promise. 

Cobb  arose  and  took  a  small  Bible  from  the  man- 
tel over  the  grate,  and  advancing  to  the  table,  held 
it  in  his  right  hand,  requesting  each  of  the  others 
to  place  his  hand  upon  it.  They  arose  from  their 
chairs  and  placed  their  hands  upon  the  sacred 
volume. 

"Repeat  after  me,"  said  Cobb:  "I  swear  by  all 
that  I  hold  sacred,  by  my  hope  of  salvation  in  the 
after  life,  and  by  my  belief  in  a  just  and  good 
God,  that  I  will  not  divulge  or  disclose,  by  tone 
of  voice,  or  writing,  or  other  symbol,  that  which 
may  be  communicated  to  me  this  night;  so  help  me 
God." 

His  words  were  slowly  and  solemnly  spoken,  and 
the  repetition  of  them  by  the  others  was  in  a  manner 


A.     f>.    2000 


35 


indicative  of  the  sincerity  and   truth  they  both  felt 
in  the  obligation  taken. 

"Good!"  and  Cobb  laid  the  book  upon  the  table. 
"I  might  now  go  on  and  tell  you  of  that  for  which 
I  asked  you  to  meet  me  here  to-night,  but  there 
would  be  no  use  in  communicating  to  you  these  se- 
crets unless  you  agree  to  assist  me.  It  is  your  help 
that  I  desire." 

"Cobb,"  and  Craft's  manner  indicated  that  he 
felt  hurt  by  his  friend's  hesitation,  "I  have  known 
you  for  quite  a  long  time.  I  have  admired  and  re- 
spected you,  and  if  I  can  be  of  any  assistance  to 
you  in  any  way,  you  have  but  to  ask  me. " 

"Then,  if  I  tell  you  that  that  which  I  ask  of  you 
can  be  performed  without  any  neglect  of  the  duties 
you  owe  to  your  God,  your  country,  or  yourself— 
that  it  will  harm  no  one,  nor  will  anyone  have 
cause  to  complain  of  your  action— will  you  swear 
it?" 

"Yes!"   they  both  exclaimed. 

Again  Cobb  took  the  sacred  volume  from  the  man- 
tel; again  was  the  oath  administered,  and  again 
was  it  taken  freely  and  unreservedly. 

"Gentlemen,  I  thank  you,"  and  an  expression  of 
gratitude  came  into  Cobb's  eyes.  "Such  friendship 
is  worthy  of  you!  " 

After  some  ordinary  conversation,  he  wheeled  his 

chair  nearer  the  others,  and  thus    addressed    them : 

"For  many   years  I  have  served    this  government 

honestly  and  well,  but    my  salary  has  never  seemed 


36  A.     D.    2000 

to  me  sufficient  for  the  actual  needs  of  a  man  in 
the  position  of  an  army  officer.  The  government 
requires  too  much  for  the  pay  it  gives.  Again,  a 
man  is  required  to  serve  too  many  years  in  the  lower 
grades;  he  is  an  old  man  by  the  time  he  is  a  cap- 
tain. This  is  certainly  contrary  to  the  principles 
of  a  good  and  efficient  government.  As  a  captain, 
he  should  not  be  over  thirty  years  of  age,  at  the 
most.  Here  am  I,  who  will  be  only  a  captain  at 
fifty,  if  even  then.  This  discourages  the  average 
young  man.  It  keeps  many  from  entering  the  serv- 
ice, because  they  say,  'I  can  do  better  outside.' 
I  am  ambitious,  and  desire  to  gain  rank  and  wealth. 
But  one  thing  I  have  found:  Life  is  too  short.  I 
propose  to  lengthen  it.  You  do  not  yet  comprehend 
the  import  of  my  words.  I  propose  to  enter  life  again 
a  hundred  years  hence!  I  know  this  statement  startles 
you,  but  such  is  my  intention.  I  propose  to  put 
myself  in  the  condition  in  which  you  have  seen  that 
Maltese  cat.  I  will  sleep  a  hundred  years.  My 
arrangements  are  all  made;  my  property,  small 
though  it  is;  is  so  fixed  that  it  will  not  be  lost 
to  me  in  that  time.  But  I  must  hold  my  commis- 
sion in  the  army — that  is  the  hard  problem.  What 
do  you  think  of  my  scheme?"  and  he  put  his  hands 
behind  him,  and  stood  watching  the  effects  of  his 
proposition. 

To  say  that  his  listeners  were  surprised,  would  ill 
interpret  their  feelings.  They  were  dumbfounded. 
They  could  not  believe  that  this  man  would  dare  to 


A.    D.    2000  37 

undergo  the  risk  of  death  for  the  mere  possibility 
of  again  living  at  a  future  day.  He  certainly  was 
joking!  He  had  asked  them  there  to  see  if  they 
would  be  such  fools  as  to  accept  his  remarks  as 
given  in  earnest  and  good  faith! 

As  soon  as  Craft  could  get  his  breath,  he  ex- 
claimed, vehemently: 

"You  are  certainly  not  going  to  subject  yourself 
to  such  a  test !" 

Hathaway  could  not  speak;  he  simply  sat  and 
looked  at  this  man  in  amazement. 

"Yes,"  and  Cobb  laughed  at  the  horrified  ex- 
pressions upon  their  faces.  "Yes,  I  do  most  cer- 
tainly intend  this  very  thing.  I  have  nothing  to 
lose;  I  have  everything  to  gain.  My  theories  will 
be  tested,  my  suppositions  proved.  I  have  in- 
vested all  my  wealth  except  a  sufficient  amount 
to  carry  out  my  programme,  in  such  a  manner 
that  in  a  hundred  years  it  must,  or  my  calculations 
are  very  much  out  of  the  way,  increase  in  a  way  to 
make  me  a  rich  man.  If  I  can  hold  my  rank  in  the 
army,  I  will  be  a  colonel,  probably.  With  wealth 
and  rank,  I  can  again  enter  the  world  in  a  position 
to  gratify  my  ambitions  and  desires.  If  I  succeed, 
all  will  be  well;  if  I  fail,  why,  that  is  the  end  of 
it.  Without  chick  or  soul  in  this  world  dependent 
upon  me,  why  should  I  hesitate  to  advance  the 
sciences  by  undergoing  the  ordeal  of  that  which  I 
have  advocated?  No  one  but  I  ought  to  be  called 
upon  to  prove  the  theory  I    have    originated.      If   I 


38  A.     D.    2000 

fail,  what  is  the  consequence?  I  simply  die!  On 
this  earth,  a  human  being  dies  every  second;  does 
it  interfere  with  the  steady  and  slow  movement  of 
the  machinery  of  life?  No,  not  at  all!  Though 
32,000,000  die  every  year,  they  are  not  missed!  Do 
we  know  what  the  future  is?  Do  we  know  it  to  be 
worse  than  the  present?  No!  Then,  why  care  if  we 
die  to-day  or  to-morrow?  I  am  resolved  to  take 
this  opportunity  of  demonstrating  that  man  can 
live  longer  than  the  allotted  time  accorded  him.  I 
have  always  longed  to  know  what  this  world  would 
be  like  in  a  hundred  years:  it  certainly  will  be  a 
strange  world!  Most  men  think  that  we  have 
reached  a  state  of  perfection  already,  and  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  for  man  to  improve  upon  the 
present  condition  of  life,  surrounded,  as  we  are,  by 
so  many  and  great  inventions.  I,  for  one,  do  not 
think  that  way.  I  believe  we  are  but  in  our  infancy 
to  what  we  will  be  in  a  hundred  years.  You  have 
each  given  me  your  sacred  promise  that  you  will 
assist  me  in  my  undertaking.  I  hold  you  to  it.  I 
am,  in  reality,  going  to  die,  as  regards  all  my 
friends,  all  my  associations,  and  as  regards  the  very 
present  itself.  I  think  I  can  almost  understand  the 
feelings  of  the  condemned  criminal  on  the  scaffold, 
who  is  about  to  leave  behind  him  all  that  is  dear, 
all  that  is  sacred  to  him.  Yet  I  am  buoyed  up  by 
other  feelings  that  that  poor  wretch  has  not;  I 
will  live  again.  I  do  not  believe  that  either  of  you 
can  quite  understand  my  feelings    in    this    matter, 


A.     D.    2000 

It  is  too  new  to  you  both.  There  are  many  cases 
on  record  where  men  have  given  up  life  for  various 
reasons— given  it  up  cheerfully  and  without  a  mur- 
mur;  and  those  men  never  expected  to  live  again 

at  least,  in  the  flesh.  Why  should  I  falter?  I,  who 
go  but  to.  come  again;  to  again  enjoy  the  pleasures 
of  life;  to  walk,  see,  speak,  and  associate  with  man- 
kind!" 

Cobb  ceased  speaking,   and  paced  the  floor   in  an 
excited    manner.      It   was    evident    that    this    man, 
much  as  he  talked  of  severing  his  connections  with 
the  present,  was  still  loath  to  attempt  this  terrible 
ordeal.     Yet,    it  was   also  apparent  to  both  that  he 
would  not  hesitate  in  his  purpose.      He  was  a  man 
of  too  strong  will;  he  would  make  the  sacrifice. 
His  friends  knew  it  and  felt  it. 
Ceasing  his  walk,  Cobb  faced  them  and  said: 
"Before  I  leave,  before  I  enter  this  dormant  state, 
I  must  secure  my  position  in    the  army  beyond    the 
possibility  of  losing  it.      How  I  am  to  do  this,  has 
long    been  a  problem.      If    I    am  dead,    I    will     be 
dropped  from  the  rolls  of  the  army;   if  I  go  on  leave, 
I    must    return  at    the  expiration  of   that  leave,  or, 
failing  to    do    so,    be  declared    a  deserter.     There 
seems  to  be  but  one  way  for  me  to  accomplish  my 
object.      I  will  explain  it." 

Cobb  now  entered  his    little    room,  and   soon    re- 
turned with  a  small  sporting  rifle  and  a  paper  box. 
It  was    an    ordinary    thirty-calibre  rifle,    such  as 
is  used  in  sporting  galleries. 


4-0  A.    D.    2000 

Approaching  his  friends,  he  opened  the  box  and 
showed  them  a  row  of  small  cartridges.  They 
differed  very  little  from  those  used  in  the  ordinary 
rifle. 

Handing  one  to  Craft,  he  said: 

"Do  you  notice  anything  peculiar  about  that  cart- 
ridge?" 

"Well,"  and  Craft  examined  it  critically,  turning 
it  over  and  over,  "it  seems  to  be  nothing  but  a  solid 
thirty-calibre  bullet.  I  cannot  see  that  it  is  a 
cartridge  at  all,"  and  he  handed  it  to  Hathaway. 

The  latter  examined  it  closely.  It  was,  indeed,  to 
all  appearance,  but  an  ordinary  bullet  with  the  base 
filled  flush  with  some  black  substance;  in  length  it 
was  only  seven-tenths  of  an  inch;  in  calibre,  thirty 
one-hundredths. 

Taking  one  of  them  between  his  thumb  and  fore- 
finger, Cobb  twirled  it  about  and  said: 

"This  is  one  of  my  new  cartridges  for  use  in  act- 
ual service.  It  seems  to  you,  no  doubt,  very  small, 
very  inadequate  to  the  needs  of  actual  warfare.  You 
would  both  naturally  say  that  it  is  too  small  for 
long  range,  too  small  for  executive  work;  that  it 
is  altogether  unfit  for  the  purposes  for  which  bul- 
lets are  made."  A  smile  played  about  his  lips. 
Then,  continuing,  as  he  held  up  one  of  these  bul- 
lets: "This  is  an  ordinary  thirty-calibre  bullet, 
but  the  grand  principle  is  in  the  explosive  used 
with  it.  Heretofore  it  has  required  about  fifty 
grains  of  powder  to  send  such  a  missile  on  an  effect- 


A.    D.    2000  41 

ive  mission.  Now,  fifty  grains  of  powder  require 
quite  a  good-sized  space;  it  requires  a  case  to  hold 
it,  and  all  this  lengthens  out  the  cartridge.  If  a 
magazine  gun  is  used,  but  few  such  cartridges  can 
be  placed  in  the  magazine.  I  have  overcome  all 
this  by  using  a  new  explosive  of  my  own  manufact- 
ure. I  take  the  ordinary  bullet  and  simply  fill  the 
hollow  end  with  one  grain  of  my  new  compound, 
covering  the  whole  with  a  fine  and  durable  cement. 
All  this  saves  space,  and  enables  me  to  put  about 
forty  cartridges  in  my  gun.  Do  you  comprehend 
the  drift  of  my  remarks?" 

Both  of  his  listeners  nodded  assent. 

Cobb  loaded  the  gun  with  one  of  the  ordinary 
cartridges,  and  then  placed  a  bundle  of  common 
wrapping-paper  on  end  at  the  other  side  of  the 
room.  Taking  a  position  in  the  further  corner,  he 
discharged  the  piece  at  this  improvised  target. 

The  bullet  entered  the  paper  and  penetrated 
through  about  forty  sheets.  Then,  loading  with 
one  of  his  own  cartridges,  he  again  took  the  same 
position,  and  again  discharged  the  piece. 

Upon  examination,  it  was  found  that  over  ninety- 
seven  sheets  of  paper  had  been  perforated.  Cobb 
laid  the  gun  on  the  table  and  said: 

"You  see  the  effect  of  the  two  cartridges !  Which 
is  the  superior  of  the  two?  Of  course,  mine;  and 
in  effect  as  forty  is  to  ninety-seven,  or  even  more, 
perhaps.  This  is  the  power  that  will  grant  me  my 
leave!      This  explosive  is  my  own  invention.     You 


4 2  :..    D.    2000 

have  seen  its  power.  If  we  put  gunpowder  at  one 
and  that  of  gun-cotton  at  four,  then  that  of  meteor- 
ite, my  new  compound,  would  be  nearly  forty- 
six. 

Like  gun-cotton,  there  is  little  or  no  smoke  upon 
discharge,  as  you  have  witnessed;  but,  unlike  gun- 
cotton  or  nitro-glycerine,  the  explosion  is  not  in- 
stantaneous, but  similar  to  that  of  gunpowder. 
Now,  the  amount  of  gas  evolved  upon  the  explosion 
of  one  grain  of  gunpowder  is,  in  volume,  about 
three  hundred  of  carbonic  acid  and  nitrogen,  but 
the  true  volume,  considering  the  heat,  is  about 
fifteen  hundred  times  that  of  the  original  charge. 
Meteorite  has  a  rate  of  combustion  three  times 
slower  than  gunpowder,  while  the  volume  of  gas 
liberated  is  more  than  sixty-six  times  that  of  the 
latter,  or  about  one  hundred  thousand  times  its 
original  bulk.  This  is  the  power,  as  I  have  said, 
that  gives  me  my  leave  of  absence.  On  the  22d  of 
last  month  I  sent  an  application  to  the  War  De- 
partment for  a  leave  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  a 
gun  in  which  to  use  these  cartridges.  With  the  ap- 
plication I  sent  some  of  the  cartridges.  I  also 
sent  a  sealed  packet  containing  the  formula  for 
making  the  explosive,  but  with  the  positive  direc- 
tions that  the  formula  should  not  be  made  known 
until  I  had  perfected  my  experiments.  I  asked  for 
leave  until  I  had  completed  my  work.  Through  the 
little  influence  I  possessed,  I  pressed  this  applica- 
tion to  be  granted   in  the  manner  I  asked.     Yester- 


A.  d.  2000  43 

day    I  received  my  leave,  and    here   it  is; "  and  he 
handed  Craft  the  following  paper: 

"War  Department,  A.-G.  O.,       ) 
Washington,  November  9,  1887.  J 

"Special  Orders, 

No.    156.  [Extract.] 

"5.  Leave  of  absence  is  hereby  granted  First  Lieu- 
tenant Junius  Cobb,  Second  Cavalry,  from  December 
1,  1887,  until  surrendered  by  him  in  writing,  or  upon 
his  return  to  duty,  for  purposes  which  he  has  com- 
municated to  this  department. 

"By  command  of  Lieut. -Gen.  Sheridan. 

"R.  C.  Drum, 

"Adjuta?it-  General. " 

"I  had  this  leave,"  said  Cobb,  as  he  took  it  from 
Craft,  after  the  latter  had  read  it,  "while  I  was  talk- 
ing to  you  last  night,  but  I  preferred  not  to  show 
it  to  you  until  this  evening.  Any  time  after  the 
first  of  next  month  I  can  leave  the  service  and  re- 
turn when  I  wish,  and  my  commission  will  be  se- 
cured to  me." 

Craft  and  Hathaway  both  told  him  that  though 
they  thought  his  undertaking  was  a  very  foolish 
one,  nevertheless  they  would  give  him  all  the  assist- 
ance in  their  power,  as  they  had  promised. 

Cobb  and  his  friends  talked  a  little  longer  on  vari- 
ous things  to  be  done,  and  finally  separated  for  the 
night;  the  two  latter  going  home  to  wonder  over 
this  great  scheme  of  their  friend,  the   former   seat- 


44  A.   ».    2000 

ing  himself  in  his  easy-chair  to  deliberate  upon 
the  thousand  and  one  incidentals  necessary  to  carry 
it  out. 


CHAPTER  III 

In  order  to  carry  into  effect  this  great  and  ambi- 
tious idea,  Cobb  had  commenced  operations  as 
early  as  July. 

He  knew  that  he  must  find  some  place  in  which 
to  lay  his  body,  that  would  be  perfectly  safe  from 
any  possible  disturbance.  It  would  not  do  to  select 
any  house,  or  any  particular  piece  of  ground,  nor 
could  he  go  to  any  island  or  distant  part  of  the 
globe. 

A  hundred  years  would  make  such  changes  that  it 
was  impossible  to  foretell  what  places  would  not  be 
disturbed  in  that  time.  It  was  a  most  difficult 
problem  to  solve. 

Was  there  a  place  on  earth  that  he  was  sure 
would  not  be  reached  by  human  hands,  and  its  con- 
tents and  secrets  made  known,  in  a  hundred  years! 

It  was  imperative  that  he  should  find  such  a 
place,  and  with  all  the  assurance  that  one  has  in 
life  of  anything,  that  it  would  remain  unmolested. 
What  would  not  happen  in  a  hundred  years! 
Were  he  to  take  the  most  unfrequented  and  out-of- 
the-way  place  he  could  conceive  of,  it  might  be  the 
very  place  of  all  others  that  would  be  the  first  to 
be  explored  by  some  enterprising  genius  in  the 
future. 

45 


4.6  A.    D.     2000 

Cobb  knew  this,  and  realized  the  necessity  of  se- 
lecting such  a  spot  as  would  give  the  utmost  as- 
surance that  no  one  would  desire  to  destroy,  enter, 
or  molest  it  in  any  way. 

After  many  hours  of  reflection  upon  the  subject, 
he  at  last  decided  upon  what  he  considered  to  be 
the  best  place  possible  to  select — the  place  that 
would,  in  all  probability,  remain  in  its  primitive 
state  for  the  period  desired. 

There  was  being  built  upon  Mount  Olympus,  some 
three  miles  from  the  city  of  San  Francisco,  by  a  Mr. 
Sutro,  a  generous  gentleman  of  that  city,  a  reduced 
copy  of  the  statue  of  "Liberty  Enlightening  the 
World,"  then  in  position  on  Bedloe's  Island,  New 
York  harbor. 

This  statue  was  to  be  about  thirty  feet  in  height, 
resting  upon  a  pedestal  some  forty  by  thirty  feet  in 
area,  and  twenty-five  feet  high. 

Cobb  conceived  the  idea  that  such  a  piece  of 
work  would,  in  all  likelihood,  remain  undisturbed 
by  any  and  every  person  for  the  period  necessary 
for  his  long  sleep.  No  sooner  had  this  belief  taken 
possession  of  him  than  he  at  once  took  measures 
to  communicate  with  the  gentleman  who  had  charge 
of  its  construction. 

A  Mr.  Bennett  was  the  supervising  architect, 
and  this  gentleman  was  easily  induced,  for  a  con- 
sideration, to  undertake  the  construction  of  a  small 
chamber  within  the  base  of  the  pedestal.  He  also 
agreed  that  the  chamber  should  be  reached  through 


A.    D.     2000  47 

the  side  by  a  hinged  block  of  marble  fitting  per- 
fectly, but  movable  with  ease  from  the  inside,  and 
that  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  Constructed 
should  never  be  made  known  by  him. 

Mr.  Bennett  was  not  aware  of  Cobb's  true  inten- 
tions regarding  the  chamber;  it  was  simply  a  con- 
tract between  them  that  such  a  piece  of  work  should 
be  performed.  Bennett  was  a  man  of  his  word,  and 
was  well  known  to  Cobb,  who  placed  the  utmost  con- 
fidence in  him;  yet,  to  make  it  still  more  binding, 
he  placed  him  under  a  sacred  oath  not  to  enter  the 
chamber  after  it  was  built,  or  communicate  his 
knowledge  of  its  existence  to  any  living  soul,  nor 
to  leave  any  information  of  it  at  his  death. 

While  the  pedestal  was  being  built,  Bennett  had 
one  of  the  largest  marble  slabs  taken  out,  at  night, 
by  workmen  brought  there  blindfolded,  and  replaced 
upon  hinges,  so  it  would  easily  open  and  shut  by 
the  pressure  of  a  finger  on  a  concealed  spring. 

This  part  of  the  work  having  been  accomplished, 
it  was  very  easy  to  carry  out  the  remainder. 

The  pedestal  being  finished  and  solid,  he  took 
workmen  there  every  night,  blindfolded,  and  open- 
ing the  slab  door,  cut  out  the  masonry,  hauling 
away  the  material  as  fast  as  it  was  taken  out. 
Cobb  desired  that  the  chamber  should  be  as  deep 
as  possible  below  the  center  of  the  pedestal,  for  se- 
curity; Bennett  made  it  so  by  digging  down,  after 
entering  the  base,  and  lining  the  sides  with  heavy 
brick-work. 


48  A.    D.     2000 

The  interior  of  the  chamber,  after  construction, 
was  fourteen  by  eighteen  feet,  and  in  height  nine 
feet  and  six  inches.  The  floor  was  made  very 
smooth  by  a  liberal  use  of  Portland  cement.  The 
door  was  so  constructed  that  after  an  inside  catch 
had  been  set,  it  would  lock  itself  upon  being 
closed,  and  no  amount  of  skill  could  open  it  with- 
out breaking  the  marble  slab.  There  was  no  inlet 
for  light,  nor  was  there  any  entrance  or  exit  for 
air. 

Such  was  the  finished  condition  of  the  chamber, 
as  turned  over  by  Mr.  Bennett  to  Cobb,  on  the 
15th  of  November,  1887. 

Cobb  had  not  been  negligent  in  the  meantime, 
but  had  gotten  many  of  the  necessary  things  into 
shape  which  he  knew  would  be  required,  for  his 
chamber  was  to  have  a  great  many  and  a  great  va- 
riety of  instruments,  all  of  which  would  be  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  insure  success. 

Nothing  could  be  done  before  the  24th  of  Novem- 
ber, for  on  that  day  the  Statue  of  Liberty  was  to 
be  unveiled  and  turned  over  to  the  city  of  San 
Francisco  by  Mr.  Sutro. 

At  last  the  24th  arrived,  and  the  ceremonies  of 
dedication  were  over. 

As  the  last  citizen  left  the  vicinity  of  the  statue 
a  man  came  up  the  hill  to  view  the  surroundings. 
That  man  was  Junius  Cobb. 

He  approached  the  pedestal  and  looked  carefully 
over  its  sides.     Yes,  it  was  all    right;  no  one  had 


A.    D.     2000  49 

had  an  inkling  of  the  secret  entrance,  or  a  thought 
that  it  was  to  be  used  for  anything  save  that  for 
which  it  had  been  erected. 

Satisfied  with  his  inspection,  he  passed  down  the 
hill,  and  took  the  Haight-street  cars  to  the  city, 
leaving  them  at  the  corner  of  Market  and  Montgom- 
ery. With  rapid  strides  he  quickly  passed  down 
that  street  to  the  Occidental  Hotel. 

Near  the  entrance  of  that  noted  army  resort, 
whipping  his  legs  with  a  small  cane  in  a  most  im- 
patient manner,  stood  Hathaway,  as  if  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  some  expected  person. 

Cobb  at  once  walked  up  to  him  and  cried: 

"Hello!  Hathaway;  on  time,  I  see;  but  where 
is  Craft?" 

"Playing  billiards  in  the  other  room — at  least  he 
was  there  a  minute  ago;  but  do  you  want  us  to- 
night?" inquiringly. 

"Of  course!  did  I  not  ask  you  to  meet  me 
here?" 

"Yes,  I  know;  but  are  you  going  to  work  so  soon? 
What  is  the  use  of  doing  anything  to-night?  You 
know  I  have  a  partial  engagement  for  this  evening, 
and  would  like  to  keep  it;  "  and  Hathaway  looked 
beseechingly  toward  his  companion. 

"To  me  this  is  business,  and  I  cannot  postpone 
it;  if  your  social  duties  are  so  pressing,  why,  I  will 
have  to  excuse  you. " 

Cobb  showed  the  displeasure  he  felt  at  the  appar- 
ent want  of  interest  displayed  by  the  other  in  what 
A.  D.  2000     4 


5<D  A.    D.     2000 

to  him  was  the  greatest  undertaking  a  man  could 
engage  in. 

"Oh,  no,"  quickly  replied  Hathaway,  noticing  the 
effect  of  his  words  upon  Cobb;  "you  do  not  under- 
stand me.  I  am  ready  now  and  at  all  times  to  give 
you  my  earnest  assistance.     What  shall  I  do?" 

"Go  and  find  Craft,  and  meet  me  here  in  ten  min- 
utes;" and  Cobb  turned  on  his  heel,  and  passed 
down  the  street.  Proceeding  a  few  blocks,  he 
hailed  the  driver  of  a  passing  express  wagon,  who 
pulled  up  his  team  at  the  curb-stone  near  where 
Cobb  was  standing. 

"Are  you  engaged?"   quickly  asked  Cobb. 

"No,"  the  man  replied. 

"Do  you  wish  to  earn  twenty  dollars?" 

"Do  I?  try  me!"  The  man's  face  gave  evidence 
of  his  sincerity. 

"Will  you  work  all  night  for  that  amount?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"And  go  wherever  I  wish?" 

"Yes;   so  I  get  back  by  morning." 

"And  will  you  permit  me  to  take  your  team,  after 
you  have  gone  a  certain  distance,  and  drive  the 
remainder  of  the  way,  .you  to  remain  with  one  of 
my  men  until  I  return?" 

"Well,  as  to  that,  is  it  not  a  little  peculiar  to  ask 
a  man  to  let  his  team  be  driven  off  by  unknown 
parties  without  a  guarantee  that  it  will  be  returned?  " 
and  the  expression  of  his  countenance  indicated  that 
he   was  in  a  quandary,    for  he   did  not  like  to  lose 


A.     D.    2000  51 

the  twenty  dollars,  nor  did  he  like  the  idea  of  let- 
ting his  team  be  driven  away  by  strangers. 

"You  need  have  no  fear  as  to  that ;  your  team 
will  be  returned;  but,  to  satisfy  you,  I  will  leave 
two  hundred  dollars  with  you  as  security  until  I 
return  it." 

"That  alters  the  case, "  said  the  man.  "I  am  with 
you. " 

"Then,  be  at  the  corner  of  California  street  in 
ten  minutes;  "  and  Cobb  turned  and  walked  back  to 
the  Occidental. 

Craft  and  Hathaway  were  awaiting  him  at  the 
door  of  the  hotel,  the  former  puffing  away  at  a  cigar 
which  the  kindness  of  some  friend    had    furnished. 

"Ah,  here  you  are,  both  of  you.  Good !  And  now 
to  business." 

Cobb  seemed  as  if  he  was  in  a  hurry  to  get  to 
work,  yet  he  showed  no  signs  of  excitement. 

They  passed  up  Bush  street  to  the  works  of  the 
electrical  supply  company,  where,  entering  the  place, 
Cobb  asked  if  the  stores  and  apparatus  which  he 
had  ordered  had  been  packed  and  were  ready  for 
shipment. 

Receiving  an  affirmative  reply,  he  told  his 
friends  to  await  him  there,  and  quickly  descended 
the  stairs.  Proceeding  to  the  corner  of  California 
street,  he  met  the  expressman  whom  he  had  en- 
gaged; mounting  the  driver's  seat,  he  directed  him 
up  Bush  street,  and  stopped  the  team  where  he  had 
left  his  friends.      Giving   the  man    orders    to  wait 


52  A.    D.    2000 

for  him,  he  again  ascended  the  stairs.  The  work 
of  removing  the  boxes  was  at  once  commenced. 

First,  there  was  a  long  box,  looking  much  like  a 
coffin,  being  some  eight  feet  by  three,  and  over 
eighteen  inches  in  depth.  This  was  carefully  taken 
down-stairs  and  placed  in  the  wagon;  then  followed 
five  boxes  of  various  shapes  and  weights. 

All  things  being  safely  placed  in  the  wagon,  Cobb 
mounted  to  the  seat,  telling  Craft  and  Hathaway  to 
get  in  and  sit  upon  the  boxes,  as  there  was  no  room 
for  them  in  front.  Then,  turning  to  the  driver,  he 
said: 

"Drive  up  into  Kearney,  and  thence  into  Market 
toward  the  park;  take  Haight  street  at  the  junction. " 

Away  rattled  the  wagon,  passing  through  the 
crowded  streets  and  by  the  flashing  windows  filled 
with  all  the  holiday  goods,  ready  for  the  Christmas 
season. 

The  night  was  quite  dark;  a  slight  drizzling  rain 
which  was  falling,  was  very  favorable  to  the  scheme 
which  Cobb  and  his  friends  had  on  hand.  Passing 
up  Haight  street  to  within  about  half  a  mile  of  Mt. 
Olympus,  Cobb  ordered  the  driver  to  pull  up  his 
team.  He  then  directed  Hathaway  to  remain  with 
the  driver  while  he  and  Craft  took  the  outfit  to  its 
destination. 

The  place  where  they  had  stopped  was  a  side 
street,  close  to  and  off  of  Haight  street,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  the  driver,  as  much  as  he  strained 
his  eyes,  to  determine  his  surroundings. 


A.     D.    2000  53 

Cobb  handed  the  expressman  ten  twenty-dollar 
gold  pieces,  with  the  understanding  that  they  were 
to  be  returned  when  he  brought  back  the  team. 

Leaving  Hathaway  with  positive  orders  not  to 
permit  the  driver  to  leave  that  particular  spot  until 
their  return,  Cobb  mounted  the  seat  again,  Craft 
sitting  beside  him. 

Turning  once  more  into  Haight  street,  lor  the 
purpose  of  throwing  the  driver  off  of  their  true 
course,  they  proceeded  down  that  street  for  a  couple 
of  blocks,  and  turned  sharp  to  the  right,  and  drove 
quickly  toward  Mt.   Olympus. 

Not  a  soul  was  in  sight,  and  the  many  wagon- 
tracks  made  by  the  artillery  and  carriages,  which 
had  attended  the  unveiling  of  the  statue,  would 
conceal  all  indication  that  another  carriage  had  gone 
up  to  the  pedestal  that  evening. 

Driving  close  to  the  side  of  the  base,  Cobb  pulled 
up,  and  both  dismounted  from  the  wagon. 

The  secret  spring  of  the  door  was  quickly 
touched,  and  the  heavy  marble  slab  swung  upon  its 
hinges;  then,  with  all  dispatch,  the  boxes  were  un- 
loaded and  carried  into  the  interior  of  the  chamber. 
The  large  box  required  all  the  strength  of  the  two 
men,  but  it  was  finally  gotten  inside.  This  being 
finished,  Craft  took  the  reins,  and  quickly  drove  the 
team  back  to  where  Hathaway  was  impatiently 
awaiting  him. 

The  money  was  returned  by  the  driver,  who  then 
hurriedly  departed  for  the  city. 


54  a.   b.  2000 

Seeing  the  man  wel-l  out  of  sight,  Craft  and 
Hathaway  carefully  made  their  way  back  to  the 
statue,  and  were  soon  inside  of  the  pedestal.  The 
slab  door  was  then  nearly  closed,  leaving  but  a 
slight  aperture  for  the  entrance  of  air,  the  opening 
covered  by  boxes,  to  prevent  the  rays  of  their 
lights  being  seen  by  any  chance  visitors  to  that 
neighborhood. 

During  their  absence,  Cobb  had  taken  out  two 
lanterns  from  one  of  the  boxes,  and  now  a  bright 
light  made  everything  quite  clear  within  the 
chamber. 

"Now,"  said  Cobb  to  Hathaway,  "take  that  hatchet 
and  open  all  of  the  boxes." 

The  lids  were  quickly  torn  off  and  thrown  to  one 
side. 

The  contents  of  these  boxes  needed  careful  inspec- 
tion. The  large  one  was  first  emptied.  The  sides  of 
this  box  were  wrenched  off,  disclosing  a  large 
glass  case,  seven  feet  six  inches  by  two  feet  eight 
inches,  and  sixteen  inches  in  height.  This  glass 
coffin — for  such,,  indeed,  it  resembled — was  carefully 
taken  out  and  set  upon  the  floor.  Then  followed, 
from  the  same  box,  an  ordinary  set  of  single  bed- 
springs,  or  woven-wire  mattress,  such  as  are  used 
on  single  tfeds.  Cobb  then  took  from  one  of  the 
smaller  boxes  a  pair  of  iron  horses  or  trestles,  and 
placed  them  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  with  their 
legs  firmly  fixed  into  the  cemented  floor.  Carefully 
lifting  the  glass  case,  he  and  Craft  set  it  upon  the 


\.   d.  2000  55 

trestles,  leaving  a  space  of  about  thirty  inches  be- 
tween it  and  the  floor.  Next  they  hinged  the  wire 
mattress  to  the  trestles,  so  that  there  were  full 
twenty  inches  between  it  and  the  bottom  of  the 
glass  case.  From  the  next  box  unpacked  were  taken 
seventy-five  cells  of  Grenet  battery.  These  cells 
were  of  peculiar  construction,  and  differed  from  the 
regular  style  in  that  the  zincs  were  drawn  up  and 
held  clear  of  the  electropoion  fluid  by  slight  fas- 
tenings, which  terminated  in  glass  bulbs  blown  in 
the  tops.  Cobb  had  selected  this  battery  on  account 
of  its  great  strength,  and  for  the  reason  that  it 
would  remain  inactive  for  an  indefinite  time,  pro- 
vided the  zincs  were  kept  out  of  the  fluid.  Placing 
an  iron  stand  near  the  head  of  the  case,  he  and 
Hathaway  arranged  the  jars  upon  it,  and  connected 
the  various  cells  for  intensity. 

The  wires  were  then  run  through  smali  holes  in 
the  top  glass  of  the  large  case,  being  insulated 
with  a  special  covering  that  would  withstand  age 
without  deteriorating. 

The  next  thing  was  to  set  in  position,  over  the 
row  of  battery  cells,  an  iron  beam,  with  a  fall  of 
about  four  inches,  the  fall  terminating  in  two  sock- 
ets. This  beam  was  held  over  and  in  position  by  a 
pulley,  over  which  ran  a  wire  rope  composed  of  alu- 
minum strands,  and  having  attached  to  it  a  fifty- 
pound  weight.  Connected  to  the  two  poles  of  the 
battery  were  insulated  wires,  terminating  in  flat 
discs  of  copper. 


56  A.    t>.    2000 

These  wires  were  about  thirty  feet  long,  and 
passed  through  the  holes  in  the  top  of  the  glass 
case,  the  copper  discs  being  inside. 

From  another  box  were  taken  two  bottles  of  fine 
old  French  brandy,  two  bottles  of  whisky,  a  small 
bottle  of  Valentine's  beef  juice,  and  several  cans  of 
preserved  meats,  which  had  been  prepared  by 
Cobb,  and  the  cans  made  of  aluminum  for  the  pur- 
pose. An  alcohol  heater  was  also  taken  out  and  set 
up  in  such  a  manner  that  a  glass  reservoir  could, 
upon  being  turned  on,  feed  it  with  alcohol.  Through 
this  heater  ran  wires  joined  to  a  platinum  strip  and 
connected  with  twenty  cells  of  the  battery.  A  cup 
and  saucer,  knife,  fork,  can-opener,  spoon,  and  a 
couple  of  stew-pans,  were  next  taken  out  and  laid  by 
the  heater. 

All  these  things  having  been  put  in  order,  Cobb, 
with  the  assistance  of  Hathaway,  carefully  lifted 
from  a  large  box  a  heavy  glass  case,  two  feet  nine 
inches  high  by  three  feet  square.  This  case  was  set 
in  the  further  corner  of  the  chamber. 

Through  a  door  in  the  top,  which  Cobb  opened, 
both  Craft  and  Hathaway  saw  a  number  of 
wheel  and  pinion  works,  while  at  the  bottom  of  the 
case  was  a  circular  piece  of  bright  aluminum  di- 
vided into  equal  divisions.  The  center  of  the  ring 
was  sunk  into  the  glass  bottom  half  an  inch,  and  on 
one  side  of  the  ring  was  a  number  of  small  wheels 
and  rods;  the  whole  presenting  the  aspect  of  very 
fine  and  delicate  mechanism. 


A.    D.    2000  cy 


Cobb  now  took  out  of  the  last  box  a  large  and  very 
elegant  compass,  two  feet  in  diameter  and  with  a 
heavy  needle;  this  he  placed  in  the  sunken  center 
of  the  glass  case. 

Craft  noticed  that  there  was  no  iron  or  steel  in 
the  works  in  this  box;  nothing  but  aluminum,  save 
the  needle  itself. 

Through  the  sides  of  the  case,  Cobb  adjusted  an 
aluminum  rod  connecting  with  the  pulley  and  weight 
attached  to  the  beam  over  the  batteries. 

By  this  time  the  needle  in  the  compass  had  settled 
and  the  positive  pole  pointed  to  283  on  the  alumi- 
num scale. 

Both  Craft  and  Hathaway  had  asked  but  few 
questions  during  all  this  work,  curbing  their  curi- 
osity until  such  time  as  their  companion  would  en- 
lighten them  as  to  the  meaning  of  all  this  appara- 
tus. They  had  been  on  the  point,  a  number  of 
times,  of  asking  for  some  information,  but  the  other 
had,  by  a  look,  quickly  given  them  to  understand 
that  he  was  not  yet  ready  to  explain  things.  But 
it  was  impossible  for  Craft  to  hold  in  any  longer; 
he  had  to  ask  the  use  of  this  last  glass  case,  with 
its  many  wheels  and  delicate  machinery. 

"Wait!  You  will  understand  it  all  soon,"  an- 
swered Cobb.  "There  is  little  more  to  do  to-night." 
Then,  taking  a  paper  from  his  pocket,  he  scanned  it 
for  fully  five  minutes,  making  a  few  notes  upon  it 
with  his  pencil  during  the  time. 

At  last,  seeming  satisfied,  he  bent  over  the  com- 


58  A.     D.    2000 

pass  in  the  box,  and  by  a  small  screw  in  its  side 
turned  the  whole  delicately  adjusted  works  around 
until  a  fine  pointer,  from  which  projected  a  tiny 
hook,  became  flush  with  the  figures  260  from  the 
zero  of  the  scale,  or  to  a  reading  of  4  degrees  20 
minutes;  then  turning  the  whole  compass-box  around, 
he  carefully  adjusted  it  so  that  the  needle  should 
point  exactly  to  the  figures  993,  equivalent  to  a 
reading  of  16  degrees  33  minutes,  the  magnetic 
variation  east,  of  San  Francisco,  California,  in 
December,   1887. 

It  was  easy  to  see  that  the  little  hook  which  hung 
down  from  the  overlapping  works  would  become 
engaged  with  the  needle  of  the  compass  if  the  lat- 
ter were  to  retrograde  in  arc  12  degrees  13  min- 
utes. 

Unscrewing  a  cap  on  the  top  of  the  case,  he  ap- 
plied a  small  air-pump,  which  he  had  taken  out  of 
the  box,  to  the  opening,  and  screwed  it  firmly  on; 
then,  closing  the  glass  door,  he  placed  cement  along 
the  junction  of  the  door  and  sides,  from  a  bottle 
which  he  had  brought  for  that  purpose.  In  a  few 
moments,  the  cement  had  set,  and  then,  working 
the  air-pump,  he  soon  exhausted  the  air  from  the 
case;  finally  unscrewing  the  pump,  he  replaced  the 
cap  and  laid  the  pump  in  the  corner  of  the  cham- 
ber. 

All  this  being  finished  to  his  satisfaction,  he  an- 
nounced that  the  work  for  the  night  was  completed. 

Looking  at  his  watch,  Cobb  said: 


D.    2000 


59 


"It  is  now  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  time 
that  we  should  get  out  of  this  if  we  don't  wish  to 
be  seen  departing.  We  have  done  all  that  it  is 
possible  to  do  for  the  present;  let  us  at  once  start 
for  town;  besides,  you  have  to  be  at  the  post  by 
six  o'clock." 

"Yes,  that  is  true,"  returned  Hathaway;  "we  are 
due  at  that  hour.  We  have  done  a  good  deal  of 
work,  but  for  the  life  of  me,  I  am  totally  ignorant 
of  the  purposes  of  all  this  apparatus.  I  would 
like  to  have  you  explain  some  of  it  to  me,"  and  his 
eyes  turned  inquiringly  toward  the  large  case  with 
its  wheels  and  compass. 

"All  in  good  time!  "  and  Cobb  cautiously  opened 
the  swinging  panel. 

The  coast  was  clear;  not  a  single  person  was  in 
sight. 

"Now,  then,  be  lively!  "  and  he  stepped  out,  the 
others  following  quickly.  In  another  moment  the 
door  was  closed,  and  not  a  sign  was  left  to  indi- 
cate that  the  pedestal  of  the  Statue  of  Liberty  held 
within  its  interior  the  apparatus  necessary  for 
prolonging  the  life  of  a  human  being. 

The  three  friends  passed  down  the  hill,  and  took 
the  Haight-street  cars  for  the  city.  It  was  the  first 
car  for  the  day,  and  not  another  passenger  was  on 
board. 

Arriving  at  the  Occidental,  Cobb  said: 

"You  are  expected  to  be  at  reveille  this  morning, 
but    I    have   no  duties  until    retreat.     There  are  a 


60  A.     D.    2000 

few  things  that  I  wish  to  attend  to;  so  I  will  leave 
you  here.  Be  sure  to  be  at  my  quarters  at  9:  30 
to-night.  Good-bye!"  and  he  left  them  without 
waiting  for  a  reply. 

It  was  nearly  eight  o'clock,  and  after  a  hearty 
breakfast,  when  Cobb  left  the  hotel,  passed  down 
Montgomery  street  into  Washington,  and  made  his 
way  to  a  small-sized  house  at  the  foot  of  an  alley 
leading  from  that  thoroughfare. 

The  windows  of  the  house  were  all  closed  by 
shutters,  and  the  whole  building  bore  an  aspect  of 
dilapidation. 

Ascending  the  four  rickety  steps  that  led  to  the 
door,  he  gave  a  sharp  knock,  repeating  it  after  a 
moment,  as  no  answer  was  obtained. 

"Who  knocks?" 

"It   is  I,  Colchis!      Open  the  door." 

The  door  swung  open,  and  Cobb  entered,  the  door 
closing  behind  him  with  a  bang. 


CHAPTER  IV 

It  is  necessary  to  go  back  a  few  months  in  our 
story,  and  introduce  a  new  character,  the  inhabitant 
of  the  little  old,  dilapidated  house  in  the  lane. 

On  the  evening  of  December  10,  1886,  as  Cobb 
was  coming  out  of  the  Cosmos,  a  favorite  club  of  the 
young  gentlemen  of  San  Francisco,  he  bad  run  into 
an  old  and  crippled  man  who  was  passing  down 
the  street.  Cobb  was  in  a  hurry  as  he  emerged 
from  the  place,  and  did  not  notice  the  poor  pedes- 
trian in  time  to  avoid  a  collision.  The  conse- 
quences were  that  the  old  man  was  knocked  to  the 
ground,  and  appeared  to  be  badly  hurt.  Cobb  at 
once  stopped  and  lifted  the  man  up  to  ascertain  the 
extent  of  his  injuries,  and  finding  him  still  insen- 
sible, had  called  a  hack  to  convey  him  to  the  near- 
est druggist. 

The  man  was  about  sixty  years  of  age,  his  right 
leg  partially  paralyzed,  the  sight  of  his  right  eye 
gone,  and  deep  scars  upon  his  face  and  neck.  His 
clothes  were  shabby  and  much  worn,  yet  there  were 
indications  that  the  man  had  seen  better  days. 

That  portion  of  his  face  which  was  not  scarred 
and  seamed,  gave  evidence  of  quickness  and  per- 
ception, and  a  general  appearance  of  knowledge  and 
former    refinement    was     plainly    noticeable.      His 

61 


62  A.    D.    2000 

hands,  too,  were  not  those  of  a  man  accustomed  to 
hard  work. 

This  man  was  Jean  Colchis,  a  native  of  France, 
but  a  refugee  from  that  country.  He  had,  in  his 
time,  been  a  great  chemist;  he  had  been  noted,  far 
and  near,  as  a  man  greatly  gifted  in  the  sciences, 
and  one  who  had  given  much  to  his  native  country 
in  the  way  of  scientific  invention;  but,  at  a  later 
day  in  his  life,  he  had  been  led  away  by  the  per- 
suasion of  others  to  engage  in  a  plot  against  the 
ruling  power  of  his  land.  This  plot  being  discov- 
ered, he  was  sentenced  to  death,  but,  escaping,  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  United  States. 

He  was  the  recipient  of  a  small  pension  from  the 
members  of  his  family  who  had  not  joined  in  the 
conspiracy,  and  upon  this  small  pension  Jean  Colchis 
lived  in  the  humble  and  rickety  house  in  Duke's 
Lane. 

The  pension  was  sufficient  for  all  the  needs  of  the 
old  man  and  his  only  daughter,  a  lovely  girl  of  sev- 
enteen years;  it  gave  them  their  daily  sustenance 
and  life,  and  a  slight  margin  from  which  to  pur- 
chase the  few  things  he  needed  to  continue  the  one 
hobby  of  his  life,  chemical  analysis. 

When  Cobb  had  taken  the  old  man  to  the  drug- 
gist's, an  examination  had  shown  that  nothing  but  a 
slight  contusion  of  the  side  of  the  head  had  re- 
sulted from  the  unexpected  knock-down  he  had  re- 
ceived. He  soon  regained  his  senses,  but  was  in  a 
weak  and  helpless  condition. 


A.    D.    2000  63 

Learning  from  him  the  place  of  his  abode,  Cobb 
at  once  took  him  there  in  a  hack,  and  carefully 
attended  him  during  the  remainder  of  that  evening. 

Such  was  the  introduction  of  Junius  Cobb  to  Jean 
Colchis. 

Cobb's  kindness  to  the  old  Frenchman  was 
rewarded  by  an  invitation  to  call  again,  and  as  he 
descended  the  stairs  of  the  old,  rain-beaten  house, 
he  resolved  to  come  the  next  evening. 

He  did  come,  and  many  evenings  after,  and  it  was 
from  this  old  man  that  Cobb  first  learned  the  art 
of  making  ozone  in  quantities.  It  was  not  a  diffi- 
cult matter  for  them  to  ascertain  the  various  hob- 
bies each  possessed.  Their  conversation  soon  gave 
each  an  insight  into  the  desires  of  the  other  for  a 
knowledge  of  the  many  things  yet  unknown,  but 
yet  imagined.  Their  desires  being  so  assimilated, 
their  tendencies  so  coincident,  it  was  only  natural 
that  each  should  take  more  than  a  common  liking 
to  the  other. 

But,  though  he  had  worked  with  Colchis  in  the 
manufacture  and  uses  of  ozone,  the  latter  never  had 
any  idea  of  the  grand  scheme  his  friend  had  in  view, 
for  Cobb  would  not  communicate  the  secret  to  him 
for  fear  that  he  might  divulge  it  to  others. 

The  door  of  the  old  house  had  opened  to  admit 
Cobb,  and  had  closed  again,  leaving  him  in  the 
hall.  There  was  no  light  to  guide  him,  but  his 
knowledge  of  the  place  and  surroundings  was  such 
that  he  found  no  difficulty  in    ascending  to  the  lit- 


64  A.    D.    2000 

tie  back  parlor  where  Colchis  usually  sat  when  not 
at  work. 

Opening  the  door,  he  entered,  and  was  quickly 
clasped  about  the  neck  by  a  pair  of  plump  white 
arms,  while  a  face,  radiantly  beautiful,  looked  into 
his,  and  a  red  pouting  mouth  invited  the  kiss 
which    he  quickly  bestowed  upon  it. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Cobb,  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  !  I 
heard  you  at  the  door,  and  have  surprised  you!  Now, 
have  I  not?  Say  yes;  for  you  know  I  have!"  and 
the  sweet  little  maiden  released  him,  and  shook 
her  delicate  finger  in  a  menacing  gesture,  as  if  her 
command  could  not  be  disobeyed. 

Marie  Colchis  was  the  only  child  of  Jean  Colchis 
— a  beautiful,  fair-skinned  girl  of  seventeen,  with 
long,  heavy  blonde  hair;  plump  in  form,  with 
small,  fine  hands;  loving  in  disposition,  with  most 
winsome  ways;    innocent  as  a  new-born  babe. 

Jean  Colchis  had  kept  this  sweet  girl  close  to 
him  with  a  jealous  care.  She  knew  no  one,  scarcely, 
save  her  father  and  Junius  Cobb.  Witty  and  bright 
beyond  her  years,  yet  gentle  and  innocent  as  a  lamb, 
she  had  from  the  very  first  conceived  a  girlish  love 
for  her  father's  visitor.  And  Junius  Cobb  loved  the 
girl  dearly;  loved  to  hear  her  girlish  talk  and  watch 
her  innocent  ways;  loved  to  stroke  her  hair,  and  loved 
to  kiss  her  lips  and  feel  her  arms  about  him.  Was 
there  any  harm?  He  was  thirty-three,  and  she  was 
but  seventeen. 

Jean    Colchis    noted     their    peculiar    love,    and 


A.     D.    2000 


smiled.  No  man  was  closer  to  the  heart  of  jean 
Colchis  than  Junius  Cobb.  Nothing  could  the  lat- 
ter ask  that  the  old  man  in  Duke's  Lane  would  not 
have  given  him — even  his  daughter,  should  he  seek 
her.  But  this,  of  course,  the  old  man  knew  was  be- 
yond expectation.  It  would  have  pleased  his  old 
heart,  but  the  disparity  of  years  caused  him  to  be- 
lieve it  to  be  impossible. 
■  And  Marie — what  were  her  thoughts  and  feelings? 

She  loved  Junius  Cobb— loved  him,  young  as  she 
was,  as  a  mature  woman  loves  the  man  she  would 
call  husband.  She  loved  him  with  her  whole 
heart,  with  her  very  soul. 

Cobb  knew  this,  and  reproached  himself  many 
times  for  causing  her  affectionate  heart  to  entertain 
the  hope  that  she  would  sometime  be  his  wife. 

It  had  come  by  degrees,  unseen  by  either,  until 
each  had  felt  that  the  brightness  of  the  world  was 
centered  in  the  other.  He  could  not  marry  her;  this 
he  knew,  for  she  was  too  young.  He  could  not  wait 
until  she  had  bloomed  into  the  magnificent  woman 
that  he  knew  nature  had  destined  her  to  become, 
for  he  would  then  be  dead  to  the  world.  He  could 
not  tell  her  the  truth!  He  did  what  thousands  of 
others  have  done — he  temporized. 

"Marie, "  and  he  took  both  of  her  hands  in  his,  and 
looked  long  and  lovingly  into  her  eyes;  "Marie, 
you  are  not  a  child,  you  are  a  woman.  You  are  far 
beyond  your  years.  What  I  tell  you  to-night  will 
cause  you  pain,  but  it  must  be  said." 
A.  D.  2000   j 


66  \.    D.    2000 

"O,  Mr.  Cobb!"  she  cried,  and  the  tears  flooded 
her  eyes;  "are  you  going  to  tell  me  that  I  am  no 
longer  your  little  Marie!  that  an — an — another  is 
going  to  take  you  away  from  your  little  girl?" 
and  she  buried  her  head  in  his  hands  and  cried 
piteously. 

"No,  Marie,  not  that!  "  he  quickly  returned. 
"But  I  am  going  to  leave  you;  am  going  far 
away;    I  may  never  return!  " 

"And  you  will  meet  other  and  beautiful  women, 
and  will  forget  your  Marie!  "  she  said,  still  sobbing. 

"No!  darling  little  Marie!  Will  it  give  you 
pleasure  if  I  tell  you  that  I  swear  to  be  true  to 
you — to  wait  until  you  have  grown  to  womanhood? 
that  I  will  marry  no  other  woman  living  but  you?" 
and  he  stroked  her  beautiful  hair  and  raised  her 
face  to  his. 

"If  you  swear  this,  you  do  love  me!  "  she  cried 
through  her  tears;  then,  brightening  up,  she  threw 
her  arms  about  him,  and  murmured:  "Though  it  will 
grieve  me  to  the  heart  to  see  you  leave  me,  yet 
your  promise  will  ever  tend  to  dull  the  sorrow  of 
your  absence,  and  will  be  a  beacon  light  for  me  to 
look  forward  to.  A  few  years,  and  you  will  come 
and  claim  me,  will  you  not,  Junius?"  and  as  the 
words  left  her  lips,  she  blushed  and  dropped  her 
eyes  from  before  his  gaze. 

Somehow,  she  had  never  before  used  his  first 
name.  It  seemed  to  her  that  he  was  too  far  above 
her,  too  much  older,  for  such  a    liberty  on  her  part. 


A.    D.    2000  67 

And  how  had  their  love  ripened,  these  two  of 
years  so  wide  apart?  Simply  and  easily  enough. 
In  one  of  his  loving  moods,  Junius  Cobb,  in  kissing 
her  good-night,  had  said: 

"Marie,  I  will  wait  until  you  grow  up,  and  marry 
you!  " 

"Will  you?"  she  had  replied,  laughing,  yet  ear- 
nestly. "Then,  I  accept  you,  Mr.  Cobb,  and  will 
grow  just  as  fast  as  I  can." 

Very  simple,  and  very  easy. 

"Marie,-  little  darling,"  and  Cobb's  voice  was 
sad  and  low,  "to-night  I  go  far  away.  To-night 
we  must  part;  but  my  sacred  promise  I  give  you, 
my  girl  darling,  that  when  I  return,  you  shall  be 
my  wife,  if  living." 

He  knew  his  deception,  but  it  was  better,  he 
thought,  to  let  her  live  without  the  knowledge  of 
the  utter  impossibility  of  the  fulfillment  of  her 
hopes,  than  to  tell  her  the  truth,  and  break  her 
heart.  She  would  outgrow  her  girlish  love,  he  ar- 
gued, and  time  would  soften,  if  not  deaden,  the  sor- 
row of  his  continued   absence. 

For  a  half-hour  the)'  talked,  they  loved,  this 
man  of  thirty-three  and  the  girl  of  seventeen. 

Who  can  fathom  the  mysteries  of  love  ! 

Leaving  her  in  sorrow  at  his  coming  departure, 
but  hopeful  for  the  future,  he  moved  toward  the 
workshop  of  Colchis,  while  a  choking  sensation 
surrounded  his  heart,  and  tears  filled  his  eyes. 

Turning  the  knob  of  the  last  door  at   the    end    of 


68  A.    D.    2000 

the  hall,  Cobb  entered,  and  found  his  frien  1  moving 
toward  him. 

The  room  was  lighted  by  four  Edison  incandes- 
cent lamps,  one  in  each  corner,  besides  an  arc  light 
directly  over  a  large  and  peculiar  machine  from 
which  sparks  were  incessantly  being  emitted. 

Like  all  true  workers  in  electricity,.  Colchis' 
apartments  were  a  net-work  of  wires,  while  the  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  house  were  connected,  in  one  way 
or  another,  for  quick  communication.  The  answer 
to  the  summons  which  Cobb  had  made  at  the  door 
was  given  by  a  speaking-tube,  while  the  door 
itself  opened  and  closed  by  magnets;  thus  Colchis 
was  enabled  to  remain  in  his  room  while  answer- 
ing the  calls  at  his  door  made  by  the  few  who  had 
occasion  to  visit  him. 

"Ah,  Junius,  my  boy,  welcome  to  the  shop!  "  and 
the  old  man  grasped  the  latter's  hand.  "I  was  ex- 
pecting you  this  morning,  sure;  for  it  is  now  over 
forty-eight  hours  since  you  were  here.  What  has 
kept  you  away?" 

"Duty,  master;  duty."  Cobb  had  early  used  the 
term  master,  in  token  of  the  ability  of  his  old  but 
generous  friend. 

"I  was  engaged  the  past  two  nights,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  me  to  get  here;  but  how  progresses 
the  work?  Are  you  making  a  good  showing,  for  you 
know  the  time  is  drawing  near  when  I  shall  want 
the  full  amount." 


A.     D.    2000  69 

"Yes;  there  are  nearly  eight  pounds  ready  for 
you  when  you  desire  to  take  them.' 

"Good!  It  is  close  to  the  amount,  I  must  say; 
and  the  batteries  are  still  at  it,  I  see." 

"Will  you  take  a  look  at  the  work  of  the  day?" 

"Yes;  but  yet,  master,  you  know  that  I  do  not 
pretend  to  pass  upon  your  work.  I  am  too  well 
satisfied  that  it  is  being  well  done." 

They  moved  toward  the  sparkling  and  crackling 
instrument  near  the  further  corner  of  the  room. 

In  reality,  it  was  not  what  would  be  called  an  in- 
strument, but  a  veritable  manufacturing  machine, 
turning  out  its  products,  small  though  they  were,  in 
the  most  perfect  manner,  and  ceasing  in  its  work 
but  for  a  brief  time  during  the  whole  twenty-four 
hours.  This  was  the  decomposing  machine  which 
Colchis  and  Cobb  had  devised  and  made  for  the  con- 
centrating of  the  ozone  in  the  air.  It  was  a  rude 
affair,  in  one  sense  of  the  word,  for  neither  of  them 
had  had  any  experience  in  making  such  machinery 
before;  yet  it  was  marvelous  in  other  respects,  for 
it  accurately  performed  the  duty  for  which  it  had 
been  constructed.  Standing  upon  four  legs,  was  a 
glass  case,  about  sixteen  inches  square  by  twenty 
deep,  in  the  upper  portion  of  which  was  a  separate 
compartment  with  a  glass  bottom,  having  a  hole 
some  eight  inches  square  through  its  center;  on 
each  side  of  this  hole,  with  the  points  about  one- 
sixteenth  of  an  inch  apart,  were  ten  platinum 
wires,  while  the  opening  in  the  top  terminated  in  a 


7° 


A.    D.     2000 


common  stove-pipe,  which  was  run  into  the  chim- 
ney. Entering  at  the  bottom  of  the  case  was  a  two- 
inch  pipe,  connected  with  a  large  double-cylinder 
air-pump,  which  in  turn  was  coupled  to  a  pony  motor 
worked  by  storage  batteries. 

Along  the  other  side  of  the  room  were  twenty- 
four  cases,  each  containing  four  accumulators  of 
under  .005 -ohm  internal  resistance.  These  batteries 
were.,  individuall}7,  capable  of  developing  350 
ampere  hours  of  work,  and  each  cell  had  an  electro- 
motive force  of  eight  volts.  A  part  of  this  bat- 
tery was  attached  to  the  platinum  points  in  the  in- 
side of  the  case,  while  the  remainder  was  used  to 
work  the  pump,  feed  the  lamps  in  the  house,  etc. 

The  pump  was  an  ordinary  compressor  of  two 
cylinders,  each  cylinder  having  a  capacity  of  1,000 
cubic  inches.  The  total  power  exerted  was  3,000 
pounds  every  six-tenths  of  a  second,  or  about  thirteen 
actual  horse  power. 

The  air  being  received  into  the  cylinder,  was 
forced  into  the  glass  case  through  the  pipe  in  the 
bottom,  and  under  a  pressure  of  two  atmospheres; 
thus  delivering,  every  three  minutes,  200,000  cubic 
inches  of  air.  The  air,  in  rising,  passed  through 
the  aperture  above  and  out  through  the  pipe,  which 
was  provided  with  a  valve  opening  at  a  pressure  of 
thirty-five  pounds  per  square  inch.  Between  the 
platinum  points,  by  means  of  an  automatic  break, 
were  continually  being  sent  a  series  of  electric 
sparks,  causing  the  air  to  be  deprived  of  its  ozone, 


A.     D.    2000  -jl 

which  fell  in  vapor  to  the  bottom  of  the  glass  case, 
and  there  formed  into  crystals  of  various  sizes. 

The  machinery  which  Colchis  and  Cobb  had 
erected  was  not  perfect  by  any  means,  and  the 
consequence  was  that  they  could  not  save  all  of  the 
ozone  in  any  given  quantity  of  air.  They  did  the 
best  they  could,  saving  about  fifty  per  cent. 

The  air-pumps  were  capable  of  driving  through 
the  reduction  chamber  over  80,000,000  cubic  inches, 
or  4,000  pounds  of  air  in  every  twenty  hours;  but 
this  vast  amount  yielded  only  400  grains  of  ozone. 
The  expenditure  of  force  for  the  result  obtained 
was  enormous;  but  there  was  no  other  method  for 
them  to  get  the  amount  of  ozone  required,  except 
with  greater  power  and  cost. 

Early  in  July,  Cobb  had  gained  the  assistance  of 
Colchis  to  manufacture  these  crystals,  and  had  put 
in  the  reducer,  pumps,  and  motor  immediately  after. 

Ever}'  evening  at  six  o'clock,  and  every  morning 
at  five,  a  team  drove  up  to  Colchis'  back  gate,  de- 
livering new  storage  batteries  and  taking  away  the^ 
old  ones. 

Day  after  day,  from  seven  in  the  morning  until 
five  in  the  afternoon,  and  from  seven  in  the  after- 
noon until  five  in  the  morning,  since  the  5th 
of  August,  the  manufacture  had  been  going  on; 
making  one  hundred  and  twelve  days'  work  up  to  the 
morning  in  question — November  25,   1887. 

"Master,  this  is  the  25th  of  August,  is  it  not?" 

"Yes,  Junius." 


72  A.    D.    2000 

"And  you  say  the  quantity  that  I  asked  for  is 
nearly  ready?" 

"Nearly.  At  five  o'clock  to-morrow  morning  I 
will  have  45,000  grains." 

"Good!      That  is  the  amount,  exactly." 

"But  at  first  you  desired  only  seven  pounds;  I 
would  have  had  that  some  time  ago." 

"Yes,  master;  but  I  did  not  care  to  have  you  stop 
at  the  exact  amount;  circumstances  might  cause  me 
to  wish  for  more,  at  the  last  moment." 

"It  has  been  incessant  work  for  the  machines,  I 
can  assure  you;  but  they  have  done  splendidly;  " 
and  Colchis  laid  his  hand  lovingly  upon  the  re- 
ducer, near  which  he  was  standing. 

"Colchis,  how  can  I  ever  repay  you  for  the  time 
you  have  given  to  the  manufacture  of  these  crys- 
tals?" and  Cobb  took  up  a  glass  bottle  with  a 
sealed  top  containing  a  pound  of  ozone,  the  result 
of  over  two  weeks'  constant  work. 

"Say  nothing  about  pay,  my  dear  boy;  it  has  cost 
you  enough  already,  I  fear;  for  the  continual  re- 
charging of  all  these  accumulators  must  take  no 
small  sum." 

"True;  it  has  taken  quite  a  little  fortune,  to  me 
at  least,  to  obtain  these  eight  pounds  of  ozone;  but 
I  hope  the  money  has  been  well  expended. 

"Junius,"  and  Colchis  laid  his  hand  upon  the 
other's  shoulder,  "you  have  never  told  me  what  you 
are  going  to  do  with  all  this  ozone.  Is  there  a  se- 
cret about  it?     If  there  is,  my   boy,  you    need    not 


A.     D.    2000  73 

say  a  word ;  perhaps  I  ought  not '  to  ask  you,  but 
leave  you  to  tell  me,  or  not,  as  you  wish." 
'  "Colchis,  my  dear  old  friend,  I  ought  to  be  more 
confiding,  and  tell  you  why  I  sought  your  assistance, 
why  I  have  used  your  time,  why  I  have  taken  your 
knowledge  and  used  it  to  my  own  advantage;  but  it 
is  impossible  to  make  you  acquainted  with  this  one 
great  object.  Ask  no  more,  I  pray  you!"  and  he 
turned  away  as  if  he  had  refused  that  which  ths 
other  was  justly  entitled  to  request. 

Putting  his  arm  about  Cobb's  neck,  Colchis 
looked  him  in  the  eyes  with  a  kind  and  loving  ex- 
pression: 

"Say  no  more;  make  no  excuses;  I  surely  would 
not  pry  into  your  secrets.  We  all  have  undertak- 
ings, we  all  have  periods  of  our  lives  concerning 
which  we  do  not  care  to  communicate  to  the  world. 
Your  secrets  are  yours,  Junius;  I  do  not  feel  hurt 
in  the  least  that  you  enlighten  me  not  upon  them." 

"But  I  know  your  curiosity  has  been  aroused,  and 
you  natural  ly  have  wondered  why  I  have  wanted 
all  this  ozone,  especially  when  it  has  taken  such 
an  expenditure  of  money  and  time  to  procure 
it." 

"Yes,  it  has;  but  it  is  gone  now.  I  no  longer 
have  any  curiosity  on  the  subject.  To-morrow 
morning  Twill  have  the  full  amount  that  you  have 
requested,  45,000  grains." 

"How  much  have  I  had  already?" 

"In  August,    a    year    ago,  you    had  about  ninety 


74  A.  1>.   2000 

grains,  and  in  the  following  October,  a  little  over 
1,500  more. " 

"Yes;   that  was  for  the  experiment  with  the  cat." 

He  had  spoken  without  thinking. 

Colchis  looked  up,  surprised;  a  curious  expression 
came  over  his  face,   but  he  said  nothing. 

"Yes,"  he  continued,  "I  remember  now.  There 
were  about  1,600  grains  made  by  the  old  process. 
Had  we  been  compelled  to  follow  that  method,  we 
would  never  have  compl.      '   ",,1~  '    ik. " 

"True,  my  boy!  It  was  a  lucky  day  for  you,  I 
have  no  doubt,  when  we  hit  upon  the  idea  we  have 
since  employed." 

"Come,"  said  Cobb,  "let  us  sit  down.  I  have  a 
little  more  to  speak  of  ere  we  part  for    the  night." 

They  passed  through  the  door  into  a  smaller  but 
neater  room. 

The  furniture  was  plain  and  scarce,  but  the  fire  in 
the  grate  gave  the  room  an  agreeable  appearance. 
Colchis  touched  a  button,  and  instantly  a  bright 
light  shone  out  from  a  pair  of  Edison  lamps;  then, 
handing  Cobb  a  glass  and  bottle,  taken  from  a  pile 
of  books  and  papers  on  the  table,  he  said: 

"Brighten  up,  Junius,  with  some  of  this  old 
cognac;  it  is  good,  I  can  assure  you,  for  we  French- 
men know  what  is  good  brandy.  Had  I  a  cigar,  I 
would  offer  you  one;  but  I  do  not  smoke,  so  you 
will  have  to  provide  yourself  with  that  article,  if 
you  smoke  at  all.  Now,  sit  down,"  as  Cobb  fin- 
ished   his  glass  of  brandy,  "and  tell  me  what    it  is 


A.   b.    2000 


75 


that  appears  to  worry  you..    Why  are  you  so  sad  to- 
night?" 

"There  is  not  much  to  tell,  master,  except  that  this 
will  be  my  last  night  to  pass  with  you,  my  dear 
old  friend;  I  am  going  on  a  long  and  dangerous 
journey,  one  from  which  I  will  never  return — that 
is,  to  my  friends  now  living.  I  go  not  to  escape 
the  consequences  of  any  crime  or  wrong-doing,  but 
to  gratify  my  ambition  alone.  It  would  give  me 
much  pleasure,  much  happiness,  could  I  but  take 
with  me  such  a  dear  friend  as  you  have  been;  but 
it  cannot  be.  Do  not  look  startled,  dear  Colchis; 
I  am  not  going  to  commit  suicide;  and  yet,  again, 
I  am — suicide  as  regards  all  present,  but  not  as  re- 
gards the  future.  I  will  say  no  more,  nor  must  you 
ask  me  any  questions.  For  your  kindness,  I  have 
only  thanks  to  offer,  unless  you  will  confer  a  favor 
upon  me  by  taking  this  check  for  $2,000  as  a  par- 
tial recompense  for  your  labors  in  my  behalf,"  and 
he  laid  the  check  upon  the  table. 

Colchis  arose  from  his  chair,  seized  the  check, 
and  tore  it  into  a  hundred  pieces;  his  eyes  looked 
deep  into  those  of  his  young  friend,  and  then  the 
tears  came,  and  the  old  man  sunk  back  into  his 
chair.  The  friendship  which  had  been  so  romantic- 
ally begun  between  these  two  men  was  then,  by 
Cobb,  to  be  ended,  and  the  sore  healed  by  a  money 
consideration  ! 

"Junius,  I  did  not  believe  that  you  would  insult 
me  in  this  manner!      Our  friendship    has    been  one 


^6  A.     D.    2000 

of  the  brightest  spots  in.  my  life.  Let  it  end  if  it 
must,  but  let  it  end  with  the  feeling  that  each  has 
aided  the  other  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  with- 
out hope  of  other  recompense  than  the  knowledge 
that  the  assistance  was  spontaneously  and  willingly 
given.  You  are  about  to  embark  in  some  new  and 
great  enterprise;  of  that  I  feel  assured,  yet  I  do  not 
ask  its  import.  If  you  must  leave  the  old  man, 
never  again  to  see  him — if  you  must  sever  the 
friendship  that  has  been  a  Godsend  to  the  refugee 
from  his  native  land — so  be  it;  I  can  say  no  word 
against  it,  believing  you  would  not  do  it  were  it 
possible  to  do  otherwise.  Let  us  say  no  more  upon 
the  subject.  At  six  o'clock  to-morrow  morning 
send  to  me,  and  I  will  have  the  ozone  ready  to  be 
delivered  to  your  man.  There  will  be  eight  pounds 
of  it,  in  as  many  bottles." 

"Then,  there  is  nothing  more  for  me  to  do  but  to 
take  your  hand,  dear,  kind  old  master,  and  bid  you 
a  lasting  but  sorrowful  farewell.  May  a  good  God 
watch  over  you,  Colchis,  is  the  last  wish  of  your 
friend  and  pupil.  Good-bye!  "  and,  saying  this, 
Cobb  pressed  the  old  cripple  to  his  heart. 

"Good-bye!  my  darling  boy,"  sobbed  the  old  man. 
"But,  Junius,  does  Marie  know  this?  The  child 
loves  you.  She  talks  of  you  continually.  Does  she 
know  you  are- going  away  forever?"  and  he  put  both 
hands  on  the  shoulders  of  the  young  man  and  looked 
him  in  the  eyes. 

"Ah!   master,  master!      Like  a  coward,  like  a  cur, 


A.    D.     2000  77 

am  I  running  away!  I  have  seen  her!  I  have  lied 
to  her!  lied,  I  tell  you;  lied  to  her!  and  because  I 
had  not  strength  to  tell  the  truth!  "  He  buried  his 
face  in  his  hands,  and  sobbed  like  a  child. 

"My  son,  cry  not  at  what  I  am  convinced  you  did 
for  the  best  interests  of  that  dear  girl.  My  faith  in 
you  is  not  shaken.  Let  God  alone  judge  our 
motives;  mankind  can  do  it  not!" 

"O  master!  I  cannot  leave  you  in  this  manner! 
To  leave  you  now  with  the  simple  knowledge  that 
I  will  never  return,  would  be  to  provoke  all  man- 
ner of  thoughts  detrimental  to  my  honesty  and  sin- 
cerity of  character.  You  shall  know  all!  I  will 
confide  in  you  my  secret!  " 

Then  by  the  side  of  this  grand  old  man,  Cobb  sat 
and  told  him  of  his  great  undertaking,  and  of  his 
love  for  his  daughter. 

Half  an  hour  after,  the  door  opened,  and  Colchis, 
with  a  face  grave  and  sad,  called  to  his  daughter 
Marie. 

Entering  the  room,  she  looked  from  one  to  the 
other,  as  if  seeking  some  explanation  of  the  quiet, 
sad  expression  of  each. 

Junius  Cobb  bowed  his  head,  and  the  hot  tears 
fell  upon  his  hands.     Colchis  turned  his  face  away. 

Quickly  going  to  her  lover,  Marie  knelt  at  his 
feet,  and  gently  raised  his  head  until  their  eyes 
met. 

"Do  not  cry,  Junius;  do  not  cry.  I  know  you 
cannot  help  yourself.     Duty  calls  you  away,  and  you 


78  A.    D.     2000 

must  go.  Such,  you  have  told  me,  is  a  soldier's 
fortune." 

He  clasped  her  to  his  heart. 

"Marie,"  gravely  and  sadly  spoke  her  father,  "he 
leaves  us  to-night.  When  he  returns,  no  man  can 
tell.  But  let  this  comfort  you:  he  has  asked  for 
your  hand;  your  heart,  I  know,  is  his  already.  I 
have  given  my  consent,  and  gladly.  Let  him  go  to 
his  duty  cheerfully,  and  await  his  return.  If  you 
are  constant  in  the  love  you  profess  as  a  girl,  you 
shall  marry  Junius  Cobb,  or  no  other.  I  swear  it, 
as  I  hope  for  salvation  hereafter,"  and  he  raised  his 
hand  toward  Heaven  in  token  of  his  oath. 

Cobb  raised  his  eyes  inquiringly  to  those  of  his 
friend. 

What  did  he  mean  by  those  words?  Was  he,  too, 
imposing  upon  the  girl's  innocence?  A  strange 
light,  a  gleam  of  hope,  of  inspiration,  shone  in  the 
eyes  of  Jean  Colchis  as  he  once  more  bade  Cobb 
good-bye,  and  left  the  room. 

Marie  and  Cobb  were  alone — alone  for  the  last 
time:  she,  hopeful  for  the  future;  he,  broken- 
hearted from  a  knowledge  of  what  that  future  was 
to  be. 

"Junius,  my  own,"  she  murmured,  "go,  and  do 
your  duty.  God  be  with  you,  as  will  always  my  pray- 
ers. But  go  with  this  knowledge:  that  I  swear  by 
the  God  my  mother  taught  me  to  adore,  that  I  will 
wait  till  you  come  to  me,  will  be  true  to  you  for- 
ever;  will  marry  none  on  earth  but  you." 


A.    D.     2000  79 

How  beautiful,  heavenly  beautiful,  was  this  girl, 
standing  there  under  the  electric  light. 

None  can  tell  the  passions  that  moved  that  man's 
heart. 

Would  he  give  up  his  great  undertaking,  and  live 
and  marry  this  Hebe,  this  angel?  Too  late!  too 
late!     The  die  was  cast;  he  must  meet  his  destiny! 

With  an  aching  heart,  he  kissed  her  good-bye — 
kissed  her  good-bye,  and  forever. 

Into  the  chilly  morning  air  he  went,  but  there  was 
no  chill  like  the  chill  at  his  heart.  Turning  once 
toward  the  old  house,  he  cried  in  his  anguish: 

"God  watch  over  you  and  take  you,  for  you  are 
lost  to  me  forever!  " 


CHAPTER  V 

It  was  the  night  of  December  ist,  and  torrents  of 
rain  poured  down,  flooding  the  streets  of  the  city 
and  the  grounds  of  the  Presidio. 

Seven  had  just  struck  from    the  little,  old-fash 
ioned  clock  on  Cobb's  mantel. 

But  few  changes  had  taken  place  in  that  room 
since  the  last  evening  we    saw    our    friends    there. 

The  lights  shone  just  as  brightly,  and  the  fire  in 
the  grate  glowed  with  all  its  former  heat  and 
cheerfulness,  yet  an  air  of  depression  seemed  to 
pervade  the  whole  room  and  its  occupants. 

Cobb  walked  the  floor  with  a  quick  and  jerky 
step,  while  Craft  sat  silently  watching  the  embers 
in  the  grate,  as  if  trying  to  solve  some  abstruse 
problem  by  their  aid.  Hathaway  lay  at  full  length 
upon  the  long  sofa,  near  the  further  wall,  puffing  a 
cigar  and  sending  out  the  circles  of  smoke  in  a  man- 
ner peculiar  to  men  who  are  in  a  nervous  mood. 

From  the  time  that  his  comrades  came  that  even- 
ing, with  the  exception  of  a  few  words  of  wel- 
come, Cobb  had  appeared  in  this  abstracted  man- 
ner, and  had  seemed  to  be  totally  oblivious  to  his 
surroundings.  His  friends  had,  with  great  percep- 
tion, under-stood  his  feelings,  and  had  remained 
in  their  chairs,  preserving  a  dead  silence,  waiting 
for  him  to  open  the  conversation. 

80 


A.     D.    2000     '  8 1 

At  last,  with  a  quick  movement,  he  stepped  to- 
ward a  side-table  and  filled  a  glass  tumbler  with 
whisky,  and  drank  it  to  the  bottom;  then,  setting 
down  the  glass,  seemed  to  be  again  absorbed  in  his 
thoughts. 

Only  a  minute,  however,  did  he  remain  in  this 
position;  for  it  seemed  that  the  liquor  had  revived 
him  and  the  depressing  sense  of  gloom  was  passing 
off.      Turning  to  his  friends,  he  exclaimed: 

"Am  I  not  a  coward,  thus  to  seek  energy  and 
strength  in  that  bottle  of  liquor?  But  I  cannot  help 
it;  I  am  in  the  saddest  mood  of  my  life  !  Until  this 
moment  I  have  had  only  a  longing  for  the  time  to 
come  for  me  to  make  the  experiment;  but  now  that 
the  time  has  arrived,  I  must  admit  that  I  am  terri- 
bly loath  to  undertake,  the  ordeal.  O  my  friends!  " 
he  cried,  "it  is  certainly  impossible  for  you  to  un- 
derstand my  feelings!  I  am  like  the  condemned 
man  on  the  scaffold  about  to  leave  this  world,  with 
its  pleasures  and  sorrows,  never  again  to  see  those 
whom  he  loves;  never  again  to  associate  with 
those  who  have  been  dear  and  kind  to  him.  I  am 
to  enter  into  a  strange  condition;  and  when  I  again 
move,  and  walk,  and  see,  if,  indeed,  I  ever  do,  it 
will  be  to  find  that  those  who  were  dear  to  me  are 
but  dust." 

Saying  this,  he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands, 
bowed  his  head,  and  wept. 

His  friends  said  no  word,  their  own  feelings 
almost  overcoming  them,  but  waited  the  passing 
A.  D.  2000    6 


82  *      A.    D.     2000 

of  this  transitory  outbreak  of  the  man's  feel- 
ings. 

"There,  dear  boy, "  said  Hathaway,  rising  and  put- 
ting his  arms  about  the  latter;  "there,  let  it  pass. 
We  are  convinced,  that  if  it  was  required  of  you, 
you  would  undertake  this  task;  but  it  is  not  re- 
quired, so  let  it  end  here  and  forever." 

"Yes;"  and  Craft  joined  his  voice  with  that  of 
his  friend.  "Yes;  there  is  no  need  for  you  to  suffer, 
no  need  for  you  to  imperil  your  life  for  the  sake  of 
advancing  the  sciences.      Let  it  end!" 

Cobb  brushed  away  the  tears,  and  looked  at  them  a 
minute  in  silence;  then,  with  a  quick,  jerky  tone, 
said : 

"No,  it  is  too  late!  My  fate  ordains  it!  I  will — 
I  will,  I  say,  go  through  this  ordeal  !  Were  I  to 
stop  now,  what  would  you  think  of  me?  that  I  was 
a  coward  and  afraid  to  carry  out  my  boasted  the- 
ory! " 

He  paused  a  moment,  and  then  his  face  bright- 
ened. 

"Enough!  "  he  cried.  "It's  all  over  now,  and  I  am 
Cobb  once  more!  Were  I  never  again  to  see  the 
light  of  day,  yet  would  I  venture  this  uncertain 
existence! " 

The  old  fire  of  his  eyes  flashed  forth. 

Craft  and  Hathaway  saw  that  it  was  useless  to 
argue  the  question  with  him,  and  reluctantly  sub- 
mitted to  the  inevitable. 

Striking  a  match,  the  latter  said: 


A.     D.    2000  83 

"So  be  it,  Cobb;  I  deplore  your  undertaking,  but 
I  admire  your  pluck." 

"Then  to  business,"  returned  Cobb,  "for  this  is 
my  last  night  with  you.  Now,  listen  and  understand 
well  your  instructions:  My  leave  is  here;  counter- 
signed this  morning,"  and  he  touched  his  blouse 
pocket;  "so  to  all  inquiring  friends  to-morrow  you 
are  to  say  that  I  left  last  evening.  All  my  prop- 
erty in  this  house  is  to  be  divided  between  you  two, 
and  to  be  yours  forever,  for  I  will  have  no  use  for 
any  of  it  again,  excepting  a  few  things  which  I 
will  take  with  me  when  I  leave  here  to-night.  The 
iron  box  which  you  see  in  the  corner  goes  with  us, 
as  it  contains  papers  and  valuables  which  I  hope 
to  again  see  and  use.  This  valise  is  packed  with 
a  few  articles  necessary  upon  our  arrival  at  the 
chamber;  with  these  exceptions,  everything  in  all 
my  rooms  belongs  henceforth  to  you  both.  In  my 
laboratory  you  will  find  many  interesting  works 
and  many  valuable  instruments;  make  such  use  of 
them  as  will  improve  your  minds.  My  manuscripts 
are  there  also,  and  you  will  find  much  information 
in  them.  I  wish  you,  Hathaway,  to  go  to  town 
and  get  the  same  teamster  that  we  had  before — you 
will  find  him  at  Neeland's,  and  his  number  is  fifty- 
six.  Drive  to  this  address,"  giving  him  a  paper, 
"where  you  will  receive  certain  packages  which 
will  be  ready;  then  drive  to  the  old  place  where 
Craft  remained  with  the  driver  before,  and  await 
his  arrival.     You  must  not  go  to  the  address   until 


84  A.    D.    2000 

11:30  o'clock,  nor  must  you  be  at  the  rendezvous  an 
instant  before  12:30.  Craft  will  meet  you  there 
at  that  time,  and  remain  with  the  driver,  while 
you  will  continue  on  to  the  pedestal.  I  will  be  at 
the  latter  place.      Is  that  perfectly  understood?" 

Both  signified  assent. 

"There  is  one  other  subject,"  he  continued,  "which 
is  of  the  most  vital  importance,  and  concerning 
which  I  pray  you  make  no  mistake.  At  127  Market 
street  is  a  medium-sized  safe,  within  which  is  a  full 
account  of  all  that  which  has  transpired  up  to  this 
morning,  as  well  as  a  full  account  of  what  will  take 
place,  as  regards  myself,  to-night.  It  contains  all 
information  necessary  to  enable  the  person  who 
may  open  it,  a  hundred  years  hence,  to  locate  my 
body  and  bring  me  to  life,  should  my  arrangements 
fail  to  fulfill  my  expectations.  This  safe  has  been 
sealed,  and  the  key  thrown  away  by  me.  Upon  the 
door  is  the  legend:  /Intrusted  to  the  care  of  the 
Treasurer  of  the  United  States,  and  to  be  opened  by 
him  in  the  presence  of  the  President  and  his  cab- 
inet, on  January  1st,  1988.'  With  this  safe  is  a  let- 
ter explaining  that  the  contents  are  of  the  greatest 
importance,  and  that  it  will  be  for  the  good  of  the 
nation*  that  the  same  be  well  taken  care  of;  and 
further,  that  it  is  desired  and  requested  that  it  be 
deposited  in  the  Treasury  vaults  until  the  day  set 
for  its  opening.  This  safe  will  be  transferred  to 
you  upon  presentation  of  this  order,"  and  Cobb 
handed  Craft  a  large  envelope  which  he  had  taken 


A.    D.    2000  85 

from  his  inside  pocket.  "I  charge  you,  upon  your 
oath,  to  deliver  it  safely  at  the  vault  doors  of  the 
Treasury.  Draw  lots  to  see  which  of  you  shall  take 
a  leave  of  absence  and  take  it  to  Washington. 
Gentlemen,  be  sure  in  this;  it  may  be  life  or  death 
to  me. " 

Both  of  the  others  reiterated  their  promises  to 
carry  out  every  detail  as  desired  by  him,  not  only  in 
this,  but  in  all  other  things  connected  with  the 
work  he  had  in  hand. 

"Good!  And  now,  Hathaway,  away  upon  your 
mission.  Craft  and  I  will  await  the  arrival  of  the 
hack." 

Hathaway  at  once  left  the  room,  and  passed  out 
into  the  storm,  while  Craft  settled  himself  down 
in  an  easy-chair  by  the  fire. 

Cobb  wrote  a  P.  P.  C.  card,  and  laid  it  upon  the 
table. 

"Give  that,"  he  said,  "to  the  boys  at  the  mess; 
it  will  be  for  a  longer  time  than  any  of  them 
think,  I  guess.  When  they  read  it,  little  will  they 
think  that  that  card  will  be  faded,  musty,  and,  per- 
haps, crumbling  into  dust  when  its  owner  calls  at 
the  club  again.  Ah,  Craft,  never  before  did  I 
leave  a  farewell  card  with  such  feelings  of  sadness! 
They  will  take  it  in  their  hands,  read  it,  and  cast 
it  aside  with  the  single  remark,  'Well,  he'll  be 
back  soon.'  Will  be  back  soon!  Yes:  when  their 
bones  are  dust;  when  their  souls  have  passed  out 
to  their  Maker;   when    they  have    each    solved    the 


86  A.    D.    2000 

grand  problem  of  life!"  Seizing  the  card  in  his 
trembling  hand,  he  kissed  it-"a  brother's  kiss,  a 
parting  kiss  to  those  who  are  dear  to  me,"  he 
cried.  "Ah,  Craft,  perhaps  before  theirs  will  my 
bones  be  mingled  with  the  dust  of  the  earth!  " 

Dropping  the  card  from  his  hand,  he  bowed  his 
head  in  sad  contemplation  of  the  future.  His 
thoughts  were  turning  back,  once  more,  into  a 
gloomy  channel. 

"Cheer  up,  Junius,  and  let  us  trust,  dear  boy, 
that  you  will  successfully  pass  through  the  ordeal 
and  live  among  men  again.  Have  you  completed 
everything  that  is  necessary  to  be  done?  or  are  there 
some  few  things  yet  to  ,be  gotten  ready?"  Craft 
hoped  to  change  the  current  of  his  friend's 
thoughts. 

"Nothing.  Everything  is  ready  for  me,  and  I 
hope — aye,  I  know — I  am  ready  myself;  "  and  he 
raised  his    eyes  glittering  with  his  powerful  will. 

"And  to-night  is  your  last  with  us?  Oh,  Cobb,  I 
wish  you  would  give  this  up!  "  imploringly  said  the 
other. 

"No,  no;  oh,  press  me  not,  Craft!"  and  he  looked 
beseechingly  at  his  friend.  "I  must  advance  to  my 
task;  it  is  impossible  to  retrace  my  steps,  yet  God 
knows  the  heart-pains  which  rack  my  breast;  He 
alone  can  fathom  the  utter  misery  of  my  position. 
From  father,  mother,  brother,  and  sister,  and  from 
friends  most  dear  I  am  soon  to  be  parted  forever — 
forever,  forever!     Hear  you  the  word?  forever.'" 


A.    L>.    2000  87 

Like  a  wail  of  deepest  anguish,  prolonged  and 
heart-breaking,  came  the  last  words,  ending  in  a  sob, 
as  he  sank  into  his  chair  and  pressed  his  hands  to 
his  streaming  eyes. 

Let  him  not  be  called  weak.  He  who  could  face 
death  with  a  smile  upon  his  lips,  now  cried  at  sim- 
ple separation.  But,  alas!  how  much  meant  the 
word,  separation— forever,  forever! 

The  sound  of  carriage-wheels  caused  Cobb  to 
start  from  his  brooding.  Raising  his  head,  he 
glanced  through  the  window  just  as  the  bright 
lights  of  a  hack  flashed  along  the  road. 

"Our  time  is  up!"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  strong 
effort  at  firmness;  "there  is  our  hack.  Take  that 
box  and  your  coats,   while  I  will  take  this  valise. " 

Saying  this,  he  arose  and  put  the  things  together 
near  the  door;  then  entering  the  other  room,  he  put 
out  the  lights.  Returning  to  the  front  room,  he 
and  Craft  took  their  several  loads,  turned  down  the 
lamps,  and  descended  the  stairs  to  the  hack. 

Could  anyone  have  seen  Cobb's  eyes  in  that  dark 
hall,  he  would  have  seen  the  tears  falling  many 
and  fast.  His  anguish  was  great,  and  it  was  all 
that  he  could  do  to  refrain  from  crying  out  in  his 
pain.  The  quarters  that  had  sheltered  him  for  many 
a  day  and  many  a  night,  were  being  left  behind, 
never  again  to  be  occupied  by  him.  His  books 
and  instruments,  the  companions  of  many  happy 
hours,  were  to  be  used  no  more.  He  had  taken  his 
last  look  upon  them.     Oh,   it    was    hard!    and    his 


88  A.    D.     2000 

strength  was  sublime  to  overcome  the  tendencies 
to  a  complete  breakdown,  and  a  bursting  into  a 
flood  of  tears. 

"Good-bye,  dear  old  rooms!  Good-bye  to  all  that 
is  in  them— again,   good-bye!  " 

Craft  heard  his  sobs  as  he  uttered  the  words,  and 
his  eyes  filled  to  overflowing. 

Down  the  walk  they  went  without  another  word, 
and  to  the  hack  which  was  standing  in  the  pour- 
ing rain,  with  its  lights  flashing  out  upon  the 
night.  There  was  no  thought  of  the  water  that  was 
streaming  down  upon  them;  other  feelings  filled 
their  breasts.  The  door  was  thrown  open,  and  Cobb 
motioned  Craft  to  enter,  and  then  followed  him- 
self. 

"Drive  according  to  your  instructions,"  he  said 
to  the  driver;   and  the  door  was  closed  upon  them. 

As  they  started  away,  Cobb  turned  to  the  glass 
window,  raised  his  hand  gently  toward  his  old 
quarters  and  murmured  sadly:  "Good-bye!  good- 
bye! " 

Away  they  rattled  down  the  road  toward  the  main 
"ate. 

"It's  a  bad  night,  Craft."  Cobb's  voice  was  hard 
and  forced,  but  it  was  evident  that  he  was  desirous 
of  bringing  his  thoughts  to  other  things. 

"Yes,  indeed  it  is;  but  good  for  us,  nevertheless. 
How  much  warmer  and  drier  are  we  in  this  hack 
than  if  we  were  outside  to-night!"  trying  to  put 
his  thoughts  into  another  channel. 


A.    D.    2000  89 

"Number  two!  Half -past  eleven  o'clock — and 
all's  well!  " 

"Number  three!  Half-past  eleven  o'clock — and 
all's  well!  " 

And  the  cry  was  repeated  on  to  all  the  posts,  the 
answers  coming  clear  and  sweet  to  this  poor,  depart- 
ing soul. 

As  the  last  sentinel  gave  his  call,  the  carriage 
passed  through  the  outer  gate  by  the  main  guard- 
house, where  number  one  was  walking  his  lonely  and 
solitary  beat.  As  they  passed  the  porch,  the  senti- 
nel repeated  the  round  of  posts,  crying,  in  a  sharp 
and  pleasing  tone: 

"A-l-l's  well!" 

"A  good  omen,  by  the  gods! "  and  Cobb  half 
sprang  up  in  his  seat.  "A  good  omen,  and  it  is  for 
me!  I  feel  it!  I  know  it!  Away,  then,  with  all 
sorrow,  and  let  me  feel  that  this  is  my  bridal  trip, 
instead  of  my  funeral  voyage.  Come,  Craft,  we  are 
clear  of  the  post;  sing  me  the  old  song  of  'Benny 
Havens.'  It  will  cheer  us  up  and  I  want  to  hear 
the  words  once  more." 

"All  right!"  and  soon  Craft's  soft,  melodious 
voice  swelled  forth  in  the  strains  of  that  old  song 
so  dear  to  the  hearts  of  every  man  from  West  Point. 
Softly,  but  with  power,  came  the  words: 

"Come,  fill  your  glasses,  fellows,  and  stand  up  in  a  row; 
To  singing  sentimentally,  we're  going  for  to  go. 
In  the  army  there's  sobriety  promotion's  very  slow; 
So  we'll  sing  our  reminiscences  of  Benny  Havens,  ohl  " 

And  then  Cobb's  full  voice  joined  in  the  chorus; 


go  A.   D.   2000 

"Oh!  Benny  Havens,  oh!    Oh!  Benny  Havens,  oh! 
So  we'll  sing  our  reminiscences  of  Benny  Havens,  oh!" 

As  the  last  words  of  the  chorus  were  sung,  the 
lamps  of  California  street  shot  their  rays  into  the 
carriage. 

On  they  went,  but  a  silence  again  ensued,  and 
neither  spoke  until  the  hack  had  reached  McAl- 
lister street.  Here  Cobb  caused  the  driver  to  pull 
up,  and  alighted,  telling  Craft  to  continue  on  until 
he  came  to  where  Hathaway  was  waiting  for 
him. 

He  was  then  to  transfer  the  iron  box  into  the 
express  wagon,  dismiss  the  hack,  and  send  on  the 
team. 

"You  will  find  me  at  the  appointed  place,"  he 
said,  as  he  passed  down  the  hill. 

The  hack  soon  passed  out  of  sight,  and  Cobb  con- 
tinued on  until  he  had  arrived  at  the  pedestal.  See- 
ing no  one  in  view,  he  applied  his  hand  to  the 
spring,  and  was  soon  inside  of  the  chamber.  Strik- 
ing a  light,  he  was  enabled  to  ascertain  that  every- 
thing was  just  as  he  had  left  it.  Turning  to  the 
compass  box,  he  was  satisfied  that  it  had  not  been 
disturbed,  for  the  needle  still  pointed  to  993. 

Opening  his  valise,  he  took  from  it  the  eight  bot- 
tles of  ozone,  a  two-quart  bottle  of  a  thick,  dark- 
brown  liquor,  several  rolls  of  silk  bandages,  three 
or  four  small  boxes,  and  a  tumbler  and  sponge. 

By  the  time  these  preparations  had  been  com- 
pleted, Hathaway  drove  up  with  the  express  wagon. 


A.    D.     2000  QI 

Dismounting  quickly,  the  two  men  unloaded  the 
contents,  and  carried  them  inside. 

First  there  were  two  iron  boxes;  these  Cobb  laid 
at  the  head  of  the  case  on  the  trestles.  Next  was  a 
very  heavy  iron  cylinder,  and  then  a  barrel  of  plas- 
ter of  Paris  and  a  ten-gallon  keg  of  water;  finally, 
a  wooden  frame-work  with  a  large  screw  and  wheel 
to  it,  was  brought  in. 

All  things  being  gotten  into  the  chamber,  Hath- 
away drove  back  to  where  Craft  was  in  waiting  with 
the  driver.  The  team  was  quickly  transferred,  and 
the  driver  dismissed,  and  watched  until  well  on  his 
way  to  the  city.  The  two  men  then  joined  Cobb 
in  the  chamber. 

It  was  now  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  Decem- 
ber 2,   1887. 

Cobb  turned  some  alcohol  into  the  asbestos  lin- 
ing of  the  heater,  and  soon  a  bright  and  cheerful 
fire  made  the  room  quite  comfortable. 

The  bottom  of  the  glass  case,  which  was  hung 
upon  hinges,  was  then  taken  off  and  laid  upon  the 
smooth  floor,  then  some  of  the  old  boxing  was  laid 
out  to  form  a  mixing-board  for  the  plaster.  These 
things  being  satisfactorily  arranged,  the  plaster 
was  mixed  by  Hathaway  and  Craft,  while  Cobb  com- 
menced undressing.  Stripping  himself  to  the  skin, 
he  bound  his  hair  back  with  bands  of  flannel,  and 
then  thoroughly  oiled  himself  from  his  head  to  his 
feet,  that  the  plaster  might  not  adhere  to  his  naked 
body. 


92  A.    D.    2000 

"Is  the  plaster  ready  to  set?"  he  asked,  as  he 
stood  with  his  back  to  the  fire. 

"Yes,"  answered  Craft,  adding  a  little  more  water 
to  the  mass. 

"Now  spread  the  plaster  upon  the  glass  door,  to 
the  depth  of  two  inches. " 

This  was  done,  and  in  a  minute  it  had  set;  then 
another  spreading  was  made  to  a  depth  of  three 
inches.  As  soon  as  this  was  laid  upon  the  former 
mass,  Cobb  carefully  stretched  himself  upon  the 
whole  and  placed  his  hands  by  his  side.  The  plas- 
ter gave  way  a  little  as  his  form  sunk  in  it. 

"Now,"  he  said,  "pile  up  the  plaster  until  you  have 
made  it  about  five  inches  high,  and  I  will  remain 
in  this  position  until  it  has  set." 

They  did  so,  and  in  about  five  minutes  Cobb  arose 
from  the  door,   leaving  a  perfect  mold  of  his  body. 

Next,  he  bound  his  head  and  body  with  wide 
strips  of  cloth,  surrounding  the  loins,  and  up  to  the 
lower  parts  of  the  breasts,  with  some  fifteen  wrap- 
pings. This  being  satisfactorily  accomplished,  he 
threw  a  greatcoat  over  his  shoulders,  and  said: 

"I  will  now  explain  the  working  of  the  various 
apparatus  which  we  have  placed  in  position.  After  I 
have  wrapped  my  face,  as  I  will  show  you  later  on,  I 
will  lie  down  within  this  mold;  you  will  then  place 
the  door,  supporting  me  upon  it,  on  its  hinges  and 
close  the  catch.  Through  the  small  glass  door  in 
the  upper  part  of  the  case,  you  will  arrange  this 
platinum  tube  from  my  mouth  to  the  orifice   in  the 


A.     D.    2000  93 

side  of  the  case,  just  here  where  this  wheel  is," 
and  he  pointed  to  a  little  wheel  made  on  the  end 
of  a  projecting  tube  through  the  side  of  the  case. 
"Opening  the  small  door,  you  will  have  free  access 
to  my  body,  and  you  will  attach  the  bandages  upon 
my  face  to  the  little  spring  catch  which  you  see 
upon  the  inside  of-  the  case,  near  the  upper  part. 
Cover  my  face  and  bandages  well  with  plaster  of 
Paris,  so  that  no  entrance  may  be  given  to  the 
ozone.  Take  those  eight  bottles  of  ozone,  and 
quickly  empty  the  contents  upon  both  sides  of  my 
body,  into  the  side  troughs  which  you  see,  and  at 
once  close  the  door.  I  will  take  this  position  at 
2:30  o'clock,  and  immediately  take  a  dose  of  five 
grains  of  opium.  In  twenty  minutes  after,  by  your 
watches,  you  will  turn  this  wheel  on  the  side,  one 
point,  and  every  minute  thereafter  a  point,  until 
the  forty-five  points,  or  full  revolution  of  the  wheel, 
have  been  passed  over.  This  is  to  shut  off  the  sup- 
ply of  air  gradually  as  the  ozone  commences  to  en- 
ter through  the  pores  of  my  body.  Have  some  fresh 
plaster  ready,  so  that  the  instant  this  is  accom- 
plished, you  can,  by  quickly  opening  the  little 
door,  pull  out  the  tube  from  my  mouth,  and  cover 
the  opening  with  a  spoonful  of  plaster;  then,  as 
quickly  as  possible,  withdraw  your  hand,  leaving 
the  pipe  inside,  and  close  the  door  again  and  seal 
it  with  Portland  cement.  Before  the  ozone  is 
placed  within  the  case,  see  that  the  lower  door  upon 
which  I  lie  is  sealed  by  this  preparation,"   and    he 


94  A.    D.     2000 

took  a  medium-sized  bottle,  and  gave  it  to  Craft. 
"Now,  as  regards  the  compass-needle,  I  will  explain 
its  action."  He  moved  over  toward  the  instrument 
as  he  spoke,  but  suddenly  started  back  upon  dis- 
covering that  the  needle  no  longer  pointed  to  the 
figures  993. 

With  a  troubled  look  upon  his  face  he  gazed  upon 
it.  The  needle  now  pointed  to  1,007.8,  or  to  a  read- 
ing of   16  degrees  47.8  minutes. 

"This  is  caused  by  some  local  attraction,"  he  said, 
looking  around.  Then,  suddenly:  "Ah!  I  see  it! 
It  is  caused  by  those  two  iron  chests.  But  I  fear 
it  cannot  be  helped;  for  if  they  are  moved  into  any 
other  position,  the  attraction,  though  it  might  not 
be  so  great  now,  would  be  greater  at  some  future 
time.  It  cannot  be  helped!  I  am  sorry,  for  it 
will  add  nearly  a  year  to  my  stay  in  this  chamber. 
You  perceive  that  the  needle  of  that  compass 
points  to  1,007.8,  or  16  degrees  47.8  minutes.  That 
is  the  magnetic  variation,  plus  14.8  minutes  for 
those  iron  boxes,  of  this  place  at  the  present 
moment.  The  magnetic  pole  is  moving  slowly 
toward  the  west;  very  slowly,  indeed,  but  fast 
enough  for  me  to  utilize  its  movement.  At  pres- 
ent it  is  moving  but  0.3  minutes  per  year,  but  this 
movement  is  increasing  in  a  direct  ratio  of  0.145 
minutes  per  year,  which  will  bring  the  change  in 
the  variation,  in  1988,  to  within  14.85  minutes  of 
where  the  little  hanging  catch  now  is.  My  calcu- 
lations were  for  one   hundred   years,  but  those  iron 


a.   n>.  2000  95 

boxes  will  carry  it  just  one  year  longer,  or  to  Jan- 
uary i,  1989.  As  I  said,  the  needle  will  move  0.445 
minutes  toward  the  west  this  year,  and  0.590  min- 
utes next,  and  so  on,  arriving  at  4  degrees  34.85 
minutes  on  January  1,  1988;  but  this  will  be  still 
14.85  minutes  from  the  little  catch  which  you  see 
hanging  down.  In  one  year  from  that  time,  it  will 
strike  it.  The  instant  that  it  does  do  so,  the  fine 
wheel-work  is  released,  and  the  heavy  weight  will 
cause  it  to  move;  this  movement  will  drop  the 
large  beam  upon  the  glass  bulbs  of  the  batteries, 
break  them,  and  drop  the  zinc  into  the  electro- 
poionfluid.  The  batteries  will  then  work,  and  I  will 
have  my  power.  The  flask  of  alcohol  is  broken,  its 
contents  saturating  the  asbestos  feeder,  while  a  cur- 
rent heating  to  a  white  heat  the  platinum  strip, 
starts  the  fire.  At  the  same  time  the  same  current 
through  these  magnets  withdraws  the  bolt  holding 
the  under  door  of  the  glass  case  in  which  I  am:  it 
falls  by  my  weight,  and  I  roll  upon  the  bed-springs, 
while  the  door,  relieved  of  its  weight,  closes  again, 
thus  shutting  off  the  escape  of  the  ozone.  In  de- 
scending through  the  bottom  of  the  case,  the  band- 
ages are  torn  off  of  my  face,  and  another  current  of 
electricity  passes  through  my  heart  by  means  of 
the  proper  discs.  Thus,  you  see,  I  am  released  from 
my  ozone  prison  into  good  and  fresh  air;  the  ozone 
is  shut  off,  and  my  life  is  brought  back  by  the 
shock  of  electricity.  From  the  alcohol  heater, 
which    is    by    this    time    all    aglow,    I   receive    the 


96  A.    D.     2000 

warmth  necessary  to  again  set  my  blood  circulating 
properly  through  my  veins.  Of  course,  I  am  weak, 
very  weak;  so  I  at  once  commence  refreshing  m)'- 
self  from  the  liquors  in  those  bottles.  After  that  I 
prepare  some  of  the  beef  juice,  clothe  myself  in 
one  of  the  suits  I  have  in  that  small  iron  chest, 
and  I  am  a  new  man.  If  the  air  in  the  chamber  is 
not  pure  enough  for  me,  I  have  plenty  in  that 
cylinder,  and  can  turn  it  on  at  any  time,  for  it  con- 
tains 8,000  cubic  inches  of  air  under  pressure  of 
twelve  atmospheres,  or,  in  round  numbers,  96,- 
000  cubic  inches;  giving  me  plenty  of  air  for  over 
five  hours,  with'out  counting  that  which  may  be 
in  the  chamber.  Before  that  time  I  will  be  out 
of  the  place.  Last  comes  the  wooden  frame  and 
wheel;  that  we  will  now  set  in  position.  I  had 
this  made  for  fear  that  I  might  not  have  the  neces- 
sary strength  to  open  the  door  when  the  time  came; 
with  it  in  position  I  can  bring.. a  pressure  to  bear 
upon  the  slab  door  of  this  chamber  and  burst  it 
open,  if  need  be.  Do  you  understand  it  all  now?" 
and  he  smiled  at  the  curious  expression  on  their 
faces. 

"Yes,"  said  Hathaway;  "but  why  have  you  gone 
to  all  this  trouble  with  that  compass,  when  you 
could  have  put  in  good-sized  springs,  as  well?" 

"That  is  just  it,  my  boy.  I  could  not  have  put 
in  a  spring  just  as  well.  Had  I  used  a  spring,  it 
might  be  rusted  or  broken  by  the  time  I  would  want 
it  to  work.      Batteries  could  not   be   thought    of    at 


A.     D.    2000  97 

all,  a  they  would  not  keep  so  long.  In  fact,  I 
had  to  get  something  that  was  as  sure  in  its  work 
as  the  earth  is  in  its  movement  around  the  sun. 
Nothing  is  more  sure  than  that  the  compass  needle 
will  slowly  turn  back  toward  the  west.  It  is  sim- 
ple and  sure;  why,  then,  should  I  seek  for  anything 
different?" 

"I  understand  it  all;  your  explanation  is  quite 
clear,"  said  Craft.  "It  is  a  most  marvelous  and 
ingenious  combination  of  natural  laws  with  human 
auxiliaries." 

Taking  his  watch  out  of  his  pocket,  Cobb  then 
said: 

"The  time  is  passing;  let  us  at  once  to  our  work. 
You  both  know  your  duties;   so  commence." 

At  exactly  thirty  minutes  past  two,  Cobb  had 
taken  the  opium  and  had  his  nostrils,  and  mouth 
between  the  lips  and  teeth,  filled  with  fine  asbes- 
tos cloth,  while  strips  of  the  same  material  were 
placed  over  his  whole  face,  leaving  but  a  small 
opening  for  the  platinum  tube  between  his  lips. 
He  had  previously  thoroughly  saturated  the  band- 
ages about  his  loins  and  body  with  the  brown  com- 
pound which  he  took  from  the  bottles,  and  which 
he  had  informed  them  was  the  nourishment  to  give 
sustenance  to  his  system  during  the  period  of  his 
inanimation. 

Lying   down    within  the    plaster    mold,    he    told 
them  to  place  the  door  in  its  position.      Craft    and 
Hathaway,  by  hard  work,  got  it  on  to    the    hinges, 
A.  D.  2000     7 


(jrS  A.     D,    2000 

and  fastened  the  catch;  then  opening  the  little  top 
door,  asked  Cobb  if  it  was  all  right -so  far. 

"Yes,"  answered  Cobb,  partly  opening  his  mouth, 
and  speaking  through  the  filling.  "Yes;  it  is  all 
right.  And  now,  no  tears,  no  show  of  grief;  let 
me  say  a  lasting  farewell.  I  thank  you,  dear  boys, 
for  all  your  kindness  to  me,  and  it  grieves  me  sorely 
that  I  will  never  again  see  you;  but  such  is  fate! 
May  God  bless  you  a  thousand  fold,  and  watch  over 
you  through  life,  is  my  last  wish!  Take  my  hand, 
each  of  you;  there,  that  is  right;  good-bye!  Now 
fit  the  plaster  well  over  my  face,  and  look  to  your 
watches." 

"Good-bye,  dear  old  friend!"  they  both  ex- 
claimed, while  the  tears  streamed  down  their 
cheeks.      "Again  good-bye!   and  God  be  with  you!" 

Craft  then  quickly  broke  the  seals  of  the  ozone 
bottles,  while  Hathaway  placed  the  perforated 
vessel  containing  the  stronetic  acid  at  Cobb's 
head. 

Craft  then  placed  all  of  the  eight  bottles  of  ozone 
in  the  case,  and,  wrapping  his  coat  about  his  arm 
to  cover  the  hole  and  prevent  the  escape  of  the 
ozone  gas,  scattered  the  contents  on  either  side  of 
the  body,  but  not  touching  the  door  upon  which 
Cobb  lay.  Taking  his  arm  out,  the  door  was  fast- 
ened, and  their  attention  was  given  to  watching  for  the 
time  when  they  should  commence  turning  the  small 
wheel  at  the  side  of  the  case. 

Save  a  slight  raising  of  his  finger  in  token  of  rec- 


A.    D.    2000  99 

ognition  of  their  last  farewell,  Cobb  had  not  moved 
since  the  closing  of  the  door. 

At  2:41  his  chest  was  rising  and  falling  in  a  reg- 
ular manner,  while  a  slight  tremor  of  the  case  de- 
noted his  heavy  breathing. 

As  their  watches  showed  2:51,  Craft  turned  the 
wheel  its  first  notch.  From  that  moment  on,  not  a 
word  was  spoken  by  either  of  them,  nor  a  sound 
made,  save  the  sharp  click  of  the  wheel  as  it  turned 
onward  toward  the  45th  division. 

They  watched  their  friend  through  the  glass  cover; 
the  heaving  of  the  chest  became  less  and  less,  the 
breathing  lower  and  lower,  while  a  purple  hue  set- 
tled upon  his  body. 

At  thirty-six  minutes  past  four,  the  last  division 
of  the  wheel  had  been  reached.  Craft  then  took  a 
spoonful  of  plaster,  and,  inserting  his  hand  care- 
fully inside  of  the  case,  pulled  out  the  tube  from 
Cobb's  mouth,  and  poured  the  half-liquid  plaster 
into  the  hole  in  the  cast. 

Taking  his  hand  out,  the  door  was  carefully  fast- 
ened and  cemented  around  its  edges;  the  same  thing 
was  done  around  the  edges  of  the  lower  door. 
They  then  put  out  the  fire  in  the  heater,  and  set  the 
inside  spring  of  the  slab  door  of  the  pedestal. 

Going  to  the  case,  Craft  laid  his  hand  upon  it, 
and  then,  kneeling  at  its  side,  gave  way  to  his  grief, 
and  the  tears  came  thick  and  fast. 

"Come,  Craft,"  said  Hathaway,  whose  eyes  were 
also  filled  to   overflowing;   "come,    old    boy;    it    is 


IOO  A.     D.    2000 

all  over.  We  have  performed  our  part,  and,  per- 
haps, are  accessories  to  a  man's  suicide.  God  be 
with  him!  he  was  a  noble  man,  a  true  friend,  and 
one  we  will  never  cease  missing." 

Craft  arose,  and  they  passed  out  into  the  cool 
morning  air.  The  marble  door  swung  back  upon  its 
hinges,  the  inside  catch  gave  a  sharp  sound  as  it 
closed  upon  the  latch,  and  Junius  Cobb  was  en- 
tombed alive. 

.  Quickly  applying  the  cement  to  the  edges  of  this 
door,  as  they  had  done  to  the  glass  case  inside,  the 
two  friends,  seeing  that  it  was  perfectly  set,  de- 
scended the  hill  and  passed  out  of  sight. 


CHAPTER  VI 

For  nearly  five  years,  Jean  and  Marie  Colchis  oc- 
cupied the  old  house  in  Duke's  Lane. 

The  old  man  worked  hard,  and  long  hours  were 
passed  in  arduous  experiments.  The  ozone  machine 
had  performed  its  mission,  and  was  a  thing  of  the 
past.  The  hair  on  Colchis'  brows  was  whiter,  the 
lines  of  care  on  his  face  deeper,  and  his  gait 
slower. 

Fortune  had  smiled  upon  him.  Money  had  rolled 
in,  and  the  interior  of  the  dilapidated  old  building 
was  in  strange  contrast  with  the  exterior.  The 
rooms  were  handsomely  furnished :  bric-a-brac, 
books,  a  piano,  and  a  thousand  and  one  little  jou- 
jous  dear  to  the  feminine  heart,  gave  evidence  of 
the  hand  that  had  wrought  this  change — Marie  Col- 
chis. 

The  seventeen-year-old  girl  to  whom  Junius  Cobb 
had  bidden  a  tearful  adieu,  had  become  a  highly 
educated  woman  of  twenty-one.  The  beaut)'  of  her 
youth  grew  with  her  years.  Her  disposition  was 
commensurate  with  her  beauty.  The  solace  of  her 
father  in  his  age,  the  pride  of  his  heart,  she  became 
the  one  object  for  which  he  lived  and  labored. 

Often  and  often  had  this  sweet  girl  asked  of 
her  father  some  knowledge  of  Junius  Cobb.     When 

101 


102  A.    D.    2000 

would  he  come?  Was  it  known  where  he  was?  and 
did  her  father  think  that  he  still  remembered  -his 
old  friends  in  Duke's  Lane?  Then,  as  her  flloughts 
wandered  to  their  last  interview,  with  its  sad  part- 
ing, tears  filled  her  eyes,  and  her  bosom  heaved 
and  fell  with  deep,  sorrowing  emotion. 

She  still  loved  him;  time  had  wrought  no  change. 
Her  father  saw  it,  knew  it;  and  while  a  shade  of 
sadness  passed  over  his  brow,  he  simply  mut- 
tered: 

"It  must  be  done!  " 

Thus  time  passed. 

A  great  invention  was  Colchis  at  work  upon.  It 
would  astonish  the  world;  it  would  make  him  fa- 
mous for  life;  his  wealth  would  become  vast  in  the 
extreme.  But  none  of  these  thoughts  disturbed  the 
calm  equanimity  of  this  great  man. 

He  cared  not  for  fame  and  honor,  for  his  life  was 
about  run  out.  But  wealth!  Ah!  that  was  another 
thing!  He  did  want  it;  but  for  whom?  Not  him- 
self?    Who  knows? 

"They  will  want  it,  will  want  all  I  can  give 
them,"  he  said  to  himself  many  times. 

Later  on,  there  came  many  visitors  to  the  house 
in  Duke's  Lane.  They  came  singly,  and  sometimes 
in  pairs.  They  remained  awhile  closeted  with  the 
old  man,  and  then  they  went  away.  They  were 
scientists  sent  by  the  government  to  report  upon 
the  invention  of  Jean  Colchis. 

One  day.  after  a  more    lengthy  visit    than    usual 


A.    D.    2000  IO3 

from  one  of  these  gentlemen,  Colchis  entered  the 
little  parlor  where  Marie  sat  reclining  in  a  large 
chair,  reading  a  book  of-poems. 

Upon  his  approach,  she  quickly  arose,  ana  greet- 
ed him  with  warm  affection. 

"My  daughter, "  he  commenced,  as  he  led  her  to  a 
chair  and  seated  himself  by  her  side,  "we  are 
going  to  leave  Duke's  Lane.  I  believe  the  time  has 
come  when  you  should  see  more  of  the  world; 
should  mix  in  society,  and  take  the  place  which 
your  talents,  beauty,  and  moral  attainments  give 
you  by  right.  You  are  nearly  twenty-one  years  old, 
highly  educated,  and  exquisitely  beautiful.  You 
will  make  friends  wherever  you  go,  and  you  will 
have  suitors  by  the  score.  With  wealth,  position, 
wit,  and  beauty,  what  more  can  you  desire?  Do  not 
interrupt  me,  darling,"  as  his  daughter  was  about 
to  speak;  "I  know  what  you  would  say:  that  your 
heart  is  given  to  Junius  Cobb,  and  that  you  want 
no  other  suitors.  I  have  had  fears,  Marie,  that  Jun- 
ius would  never  come  back  to  us  in  this  world — that, 
perhaps,  he  is  dead." 

A  cry  of  anguish  burst  from,  the  poor  girl's 
lips: 

"Oh!  do  not,  do  not  say  that!  He  is  not  dead! 
You  know  it,  father  !  Oh!  tell  me  he  is  not  dead  !" 
and  she  sank  at  her  father's  feet,  overcome  with 
grief. 

"O,  God!  "  breathed  the  old  man  between  his  set 
teeth;   "I  fear  it  must  be  done!"  Then,  leaning  over 


104  A.    D.    2000 

and  stroking  the    golden    locks  of  his  daughter,  he 
said: 

"Marie,  look  up." 

Her  eyes,  glistening  with  tiny  tear-crystals,  were 
turned  up  to  his. 

"Look  into  my  eyes,  my  child,  and  listen  well  to 
my  words.  Do  you  love  Junius  Cobb  as  fondly 
now  as  when  you  were  a  girl,  on  the  night  when  he 
said  good-bye  and  left  you?  Answer  me  as  your 
heart  dictates." 

"O,  father!  can  you  doubt  it?"  A  heavenly  look 
appeared  in  her  eyes.  "Would  to  God  I  could  be 
with  him  in  this  life,  or  in  death!"  Her  head  fell 
upon  her  father's  bosom. 

"Then,  life  without  your  lover  is  worse  than 
death?"  and  her  father  fixed  his  eyes  in  a  hoping, 
expecting,  desiring  expression    upon  his    daughter. 

"Yes!  "  burst  from  her  lips;  "a  thousand  times 
yes!  for  what  is  life  without  him?  If  I  be  not 
with  him  in  death,  then  death  is  oblivion!" 

"My  noble,  true-hearted  daughter!  "  and  he  folded 
her  to  his  heart.  "Your  lover  is  true  to  you — that 
I  can  swear.  Await  with  patience,  my  child,  till 
God  wills  your  union.  Now,  once  more  listen  to 
my  words:  it  is  my  desire  that  you  enter  the  world 
of  life  and  fashion,  rule  my  house  as  its  mistress; 
entertain,  make  friends,  and  let  no  worry  enter' 
thy  heart.  Do  this,  and  if  at  the  end  of  four  years 
more,  you  ask  for  Junius  Cobb,  your  betrothed,  he 


A.    L).     2000  I05 

shall  come  to  you.  I  swear  to  you,  my  daughter, 
that  my  words  are  true." 

"Father,  I  will  do  thy  bidding."  She  wept  tears 
of  hope  as  she  sank  into  her  chair. 

Soon  the  world  of  fashion,  the  society  of  money 
and  brains,  began  to  chipper-chapper  of  the  new 
Crcesus  and  his  divine  daughter,  who  had  suddenly 
come  into  their  midst. 

The  Colchis  mansion  was  among  the  finest  of 
those  beautiful  homes  which  have  made  San  Fran- 
cisco famous  as  a  city  of  palaces.  .  His  hospitality 
was  prodigal;  his  entertainments  fit  for  kings.  He 
and  his  beautiful  daughter  were  objects  around 
which  fluttered  the  culture,  the  fashion,  and  the 
wealth  of  the  city. 

Men  came,  saw  the  divinity,  and  worshiped  at 
the  shrine.  Suitors  implored  her  love,  begged  it, 
but  without  success.  To  all  was  Marie  Colchis 
kind,  honorable,  and  lovely,  but  to  none  gave  she 
the  slightest  encouragement. 

Time  passed,  and  still  she  was  the  same.  Suitors 
still  persevered,  but  without  success.  Against 
her  no  word  of  disrespect  could  be  uttered,  none 
could  bear  feelings  save  of  love  and  admiration;  all 
spoke  of  her  as  the  frozen  sunbeam. 

Colchis  pere  saw  it,  and  understood  it;  she  could 
never  change. 

Then  Jean  Colchis  arose  one  morning,  and  told 
his  daughter  that  he  must  go  away  on  important 
duty.      His  stay  might  be  protracted  to  months,  he 


ion  A.    b.    200O 

could  not  tell  her  how  long.  She  was  to  remain, 
and  under  the  guardianship  of  her  housekeeper,  she 
should  find  what  amusement  she  chose. 

Their  adieus  were  spoken,  and  Colchis  sailed  out 
of  the  Golden  Gate  in  a  ship  of  his  own. 

Months  passed,  and  Marie  Colchis  grew  sad  and 
disconsolate.  Her  lover  gone,  and  her  father  away, 
there  was  nothing  to  live  for.  Hours  upon  hours 
she  sat  and  wept— wept  tears  of  such  sadness  as  only 
a  heart  bowed  down  by  the  most  intense  sorrow 
could  cause  to  flow. 

The  house  on  the  hill  was  closed  to  the  world,  and 
Marie  lived  but  in  the  past,  and  with  slight  hopes 
for  the  future. 

It  was  the  13th  of  March,  1897,  and  Jean  Colchis 
had  arrived  home  to  his  child.  There  was  sadness 
in  his  eyes  as  he  clasped  his  darling  daughter  to 
his  heart;  but  a  firm,  determined  expression  over- 
spread his  countenance,  as  though  he  had  fought 
some  great  battle,  and  felt  himself  the  victor. 

"Never  again,  dear  old  father,  can  I  open  this 
house  to  the  world,"  she  said  to  him,  as  they  sat 
and  spoke  of  the  past. 

"And  never  again  shall  you,  my  child,"  he  had 
returned,  holding  her  in  a  loving  embrace. 

"Let  me  leave  the  world  and  all  it  contains!  Let 
me  go  and  bury  my  body  as  I  have  my  love! 
Father,  I  am  dying  ! " 

The  time  had  come.  Jean  Colchis  saw  that  not 
an  hour  was  to  be  lost.      Fate  had  ordained     it;   he 


A.    D.     2000  107 

must  comply,  though  he  murdered  his  beloved  child  ! 

"Grieve  not,  my  child,"  he  tenderly  said,  "the 
future  is  bright  and  assured.  I  am  going  to  take 
you  to  your  husband  !" 

Like  a  burst  of  the  sun  through  a  dark  and  dreary 
sky,  her  eyes  lighted  up,  and  she  sprang  toward  him, 
clasped  him  around  the  neck,  and  covered  his  face 
with  kisses.  Then  she  arose,  staggered,  and  fainted. 
The  good  news  was  too  sudden. 

Two  weeks  after  this  eventful  day,  Jean  Colchis 
and  his  daughter  sailed  away  in  the  ship  which  had 
once  before  borne  him  out  of  the  harbor.  As  the 
vessel  passed  through  the  Golden  Gate,  the  father 
and  daughter  stood  at  the  rail  and  took  one  last 
look  at  the  life  behind  them. 

"See!  dear  father,"  Marie  exclaimed,  pointing  to 
the  shore  on  the  south,  while  a  bright  smile  illu- 
mined her  face.  "See!  there  is  the  Presidio,  with 
its  little  houses!  Junius  lived  there,  once — Junius, 
my  own,  and  to  whom  we  are  now  hastening.  God 
watch  over  him!" 

"Amen!  " 

The  words  came  sadly  from  the  old  man's  lips. 
Thus  they  sailed  away,  and  never  more  was  word 
heard  of  them  by  the  living  world. 

The  years  came  and  passed,  but  these  two  loving 
hearts  came  not  again  to  the  haunts  of  man. 

And  the  other — Junius  Cobb?  He  lay  an  inert 
mass  in  the  pedestal  of  the  Statue  of  Liberty,  on 
Mt.   Olympus. 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  beautiful  day  it  was,  this  19th  of  June,  A.D. 
2000;  to  be  sure,  the  sun  was  sending  down  its  rays 
with  a  trifle  more  heat  than  was  agreeable,  but  all 
things  considered,  it  was  one  of  those  lovely  days 
which  one  sees,  in  the  month  of  June,  in  Washing- 
ton. 

The  heads  of  the  various  departments  had  not 
yet  left  the  city  for  their  summer  vacations  in  the 
country,  but  were  hard  pressed  by  the  business  re- 
quired of  them  by  Congress;  for  that  body  was  still 
in  session,  as  the  national  legislature  did  not  end 
its  work  until  the  first  of  July. 

In  the  Treasury  building,  Treasury  Square,  all 
was  bustle  and  activity,  and  clerks  and  messengers 
were  flying  in  every  direction. 

At  his  desk  in  the  sumptuous  office  provided  for 
him,  sat  Mr.  Brett,  the  Treasurer  of  the  United 
States;  while  near  him,  quiet^  smoking  a  cigar, 
sat  Mr.   Peck,  the  first  assistant  to  the  Treasurer. 

They  were  quietly  discussing  matters  pertaining 
to  their  department,  and  evidently  had  plenty  of 
time  on  their  hands. 

It  was  14:  10  by  the  large  dial  on  the  wall,  and 
near  the  time  when  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
would  ask  for  the  final  papers  for  signature  for  the 
day.     A  huge  stack  lay  upon  the  table  awaiting  this 

108 


A.    D.    2000  IOg 

call,  and  the  two  chiefs  were  only  remaining  to 
send  them  to  him. 

As  the  hands  of  the  dial  marked  14:15,  a  sharp 
knock  was  made  upon  the  door,  and  immediately 
after,  Mr.  Lane,  the  second  assistant,  entered  the 
room  accompanied  by  Mr.  Howell,  a  subordinate 
officer  in  the  Treasury  Department. 

"Well,  Mr.  Lane,  what  is  it?  Have  you  any 
more  business?"  asked  the  Treasurer,  looking  up. 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  that  gentleman,  with  appa- 
rent excitement.  "Yes,  sir;  I  have  some  papers  here 
which  I  think  may  be  of  very  great  importance.  As 
Mr.  Howell  was  going  through  the  old  store-room 
containing  the  records  at  the  close  of  the  adminis- 
tration of  1908,  he  found  this  bundle,  marked  as 
you  will  see  by  looking  at  it.  Deeming  it  my  duty, 
sir,  to  at  once  acquaint  you  with  the  fact,  I  have 
brought  it  here."  Saying  which,  he  handed  the 
Treasurer  a  small  package  of  papers,  bearing  upon 
the  brief-side  this  indorsement : 

"Treasury  Department,  | 

Washington,  January  29,   1888.  j 

"This  paper  is  this  day  deposited  with  the  Treas- 
urer of  the  United  States,  by  Hugh  Craft,  Second 
Lieutenant  in  the  First  Artillery.  With  it  is  also 
deposited  an  iron  safe,  presumably  containing  the 
papers  referred  to  in  the  body  of  the  communica- 
tion. Entry  of  the  papers  is  made  in  book  'C,'  folio 
476.  This  document  is  to  be  transmitted  from 
Treasurer  to  Treasurer,  as  they  may  be    appointed, 


IIO  A.    D.     2000 

until  its  contents  can  be  complied  with;  which  will 

be  by  the  Treasurer  serving  in  1988. 

"Conrad  N.  Jordan, 
"  Treasurer  of  the  United  States." 

The  Treasurer  took  the  paper  in  an  unconcerned 
manner  and  glanced  over  the  brief.  Looking  over 
his  glasses,  he  said: 

"Well,  Mr.  Howell,  I  see  nothing  about  these 
papers  that  requires  my  attention.  Undoubtedly 
they  have  been  long  ago  acted  upon  by  the  proper 
authorities,"  and  he  handed  them  toward  that  gen- 
tleman. 

"But  the  inside,  sir,"  quickly  returned  Howell. 
"I  must  admit  I  read  it,  and  so  found  out  that 
it  was  of  importance,  even  at  this  late  day.  It  con- 
tains an  account  of  a  safe  to  be  opened  in  1988,  and 
which  has  been  deposited  in  the  vaults  since  1888. 
Now,  if  such  a  safe  had  been  opened  in  this  depart- 
ment in  1988,  or  since,  I  would  have  known  it;  for, 
as  you  know,  sir,  I  have  been  here  over  fifteen 
years.  I  think,  sir,  that  this  communication  has 
been  mislaid  long  before  the  time  set  for  opening 
the  safe,  if,  indeed,  anv  such  article  is  in  the  vaults, 
and  that  it  might  require  investigation." 

Mr.  Brett  seemed  a  little  more  interested  in  the 
matter,  as  he  again  turned  the  document  over  in 
his  hand;   then  opening  it,  he  read  its  contents. 

In  silence  his  subordinates  watched  him,  and 
noticed  an  increasing  excitement  in  his  manner  as 
he  progressed. 


A.     I).    2000  III 

This  was  the  letter  which  Cobb  had  written  and 
sent  with  the  safe,  and  of  which  he  had  spoken  to 
Craft  and   Hathaway. 

Having  read  the  main  document,  the  Treasurer 
returned  to  the  briefs  and  saw  that  it  had  been 
transmitted  by  five  Secretaries,  as  their  indorsements 
were  upon  it;  but  after  the  year  1904  no  more 
indorsements  were  made,  and  it  was  apparent  that 
the  paper  had  been  mislaid  since  then.  Handing 
the  bundle  to  Mr.   Peck,  the  TreaSurer  said: 

"That  is  a  most  curious  document,  I  must  say. 
Can  you  make  anything  out  of  it?" 

The  latter  perused  it  carefully,  and  also  looked 
at  its  indorsements. 

"If  such  a  safe  is  now  in  the  vaults,"  he  answered, 
returning  the  communication,  "it  should  be  looked 
after  at  once,  for  the  time  has  long  since  passed 
when  it  should  have  been  opened.  Perhaps  you  did 
not  notice  that  the  last  indorsement  says  that  the 
safe  was  deposited  in  the  certificate  vaults  on  Jan- 
uary 7,  1904,  by  Treasurer  Chamberlin.  I  think  it 
would  be  well  to  look  into  this  matter;  and  if  you 
wish  it,  I  will  at  once  attend  to  searching  that 
vault." 

"I  quite  agree  with  you,  Mr.  Peck,  that  we  ought 
not  to  let  this  matter  drop  without  at  least  trying 
to  discover  if  the  safe  mentioned  in  the  paper  is 
now  in  this  department.  I  wish  you  would  take 
the  matter  in  hand  and  thoroughly  search  the  old 
vaults,  especially  the  one  mentioned  as  containing 


112  A.    D.    2000 

the  safe  on  January  7,  1904.  Notify  me  if  your 
labors  are  rewarded  by  success.  Good  morning," 
and  the  Treasurer  bowed  to  Mr.  Peck  as  the  latter 
left  the  office.  In  passing  out,  Peck  motioned  to 
Mr.    Howell  to  follow  him. 

The  vaults  of  the  Treasury  were  cut  up  into  many 
small  and  minor  vaults.  Some  had  been  used  for 
the  storage  of  old  documents  of  the  department 
which  had  no  further  value  than  that,  by  law,  they 
could  not  be  destroyed.  One  series  of  these  latter 
were  the  certificate  vaults  containing  the  stacks  of 
fraudulent  certificates  used  by  the  Chinese,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  to  gain  admis- 
sion into  the  country,  and  in  one  of  which  the  safe 
was  supposed  to  have  been  deposited. 

An  investigation  was  at  once  made  by  Peck  and 
Howell  in  these  vaults,  and  resulted  in  complete 
success;  for,  hidden  behind  huge  piles  of  papers 
and  boxes  of  documents,  was  found  the  small  safe 
taken  to  Washington  in  1888,  by  Hugh  Craft. 

It  had  taken  several  hours  for  the  two  men,  with 
the  aid  of  a  couple  of  janitors,  to  unearth,  or  rather 
unpaper,  the  iron  box;  but  it  was  there,  neverthe- 
less, and  they  read  the  legend  painted  upon  it  with 
many  expressions  of  wonder. 

At  10:30  the  next  morning,  when  the  Treasurer 
came  to  his  desk,  they  reported  the  result  of  their 
search,  and  informed  him  that  they  had  gotten  the 
safe  out  into  the  main  corridor  of  the  vault,  await- 
ing his  orders. 


A.    I).     2000  II3 

Mr.  Brett  immediately  accompanied  Peck  down 
to  the  vaults,  and  saw  for  himself  the  safe.  He 
read  the  legend  upon  it,  and  could  not  conceal  his 
astonishment:  the  letter  was  genuine,  and  the  safe 
was  there. 

The  contents  of  that  iron  box  had  been  placed  in 
it  over  one  hundred  and  thirteen  years  ago!  What 
were  the  secrets  it  contained?  Why  was  it  sent  to 
the  Treasurer  of  the  United  States,  with  instructions 
not  to  be  opened  before  a  hundred  years  had 
passed?     Why  was  it  not  opened  at  the  proper  time? 

All  these  thoughts  quickly  passed  through  the 
Treasurer's  mind. 

Carefully  noting  the  inscription  upon  the  door  of 
the  safe,  he  informed  Mr.  Peck  that  he  would  at 
once  communicate  with  the  President  upon  the 
subject.     He  then  went  back  to  his  office. 

At  11:15  tnat  morning  the  President  was  in- 
formed that  the  Treasurer  of  the  United  States  had 
most  important  business  with  him,  and  desired  an 
immediate  audience;  it  was  granted  him.  The 
President  was  sitting  in  his  private  office,  in  the 
executive  mansion,  and  received  the  Treasurer  with 
a  kind  smile  of  welcome  as  he  entered. 

Mr.  Brett  immediately  communicated  the  pur- 
port of  his  mission,  and  handed  the  President  the 
letter  which  had  been  found. 

Mr.    Craft,  the    President,    seemed    greatly    sur- 
prised at  the  communication,  and  taking  the  letter, 
read  it  carefully — both  it  and  its  indorsements. 
A.  D.  2000     8 


ii4 


A.     D.     2000 


"Delivered  by  Hugh  Craft,  of  the  army,"  he 
read,  to  himself;  then  aloud: 

"Why,  a  namesake  of  mine!  I  have  had  relatives 
in  the  army  for  many  years;  I  wonder  if  this  man 
could  have  been  one  of  my  ancestors?" 

Taking  down  a  large  volume  from  an  upper  shelf 
of  his  book-case,  he  quickly  turned  the  pages  under 
the  date  of  1888.  "Yes;  yes,  it  is  here,"  and  he 
followed  on  for  several  pages  more;  then,  referring 
back,  read : 

"  'Hugh  Craft,  Second  Lieutenant,  First  Artillery, 
July  1,  1886;  First  Lieutenant,  September  15,  1891; 
Captain,  October  6,  1906;  Major,  October  14, 
1916;  killed  at  the  battle  of  Ottawa,  August  5, 
1917.  Married  Augustine  Phelps,  May  28,  1890. 
Children:  Edward,  born  September  12,  1891;  Harry, 
born  May  4,   1894;  Mabel,  born  December  11,  1906.'" 

Then,  turning  over  the  pages,  he  continued: 

"  'Edward  married  in  1916  and  died  December 
22,  1937,  leaving  three  sons;  one  of  whom,  Arthur, 
married  in  1940.  Arthur  died  in  1981,  leaving  one 
son,  Emory  D.,  born  June  19,  1941.'  And  that  man 
is  myself.  It  is  most  strange  that  I  should  at  this 
late  day  receive  a  communication  signed  by  my 
great-grandfather.  Whatever  the  contents  of  this 
safe  may  be,  they  are  in  some  manner  connected 
with  me,  and  I  am  most  anxious  to  at  once  unravel 
the  mystery." 

Rising  from  h;s  chair,  he  touched  an  electric 
bell,  and  upon  its  being  answered  by   an  orderly  in 


A.     D.    2000  115 

the  uniform  of  the  President's  guards,  sent  a  sum- 
mons to  his  Cabinet  to  immediately  meet  him  at 
the  Treasury  building;- he  then  called  for  his  wraps 
and  signified  his  intention  of  at  once  proceeding 
with  Mr.  Brett  to  the  Treasury  and  opening  the  safe. 

In  about  an  hour  afterwards  there  were  gathered 
in  the  office  of  the  Treasurer  the  President  and  all 
the  members  of  his  Cabinet,  and  Mr.  Brett,  the 
Treasurer.  The  gentlemen,  upon  request  of  the 
President,  then  proceeded  to  where  the  safe  had 
been  drawn  out  into  the  corridor. 

There  it  stood,  apparently  in  as  good  condition 
as  when  first  sent  to  the  Treasury,  save  a  slight  dis- 
coloration caused  by  time.  The  legend  was  still 
plain,  and  the  party  surveyed  it  with  much  curios- 
ity. The  combination  of  the  lock,  of  course,  was 
unknown  to  any  of  them,  and  the  key-hole  was  of 
no  use,  as  none  had  a  key  to  fit  it.  The  services  of 
a  couple  of  machinists  were  soon  procured,  and  the 
outer  door  quickly  yielded  to  their  efforts,  and  was 
torn  from  its  hinges,  exposing  a  large  plate-glass 
door,  behind  which  were  plainly  seen  several  arti- 
cles. 

Breaking  open  this  door,  for  it  was  cemented 
around  its  edges,  the  contents  of  the  safe  were  soon 
in  the  possession  of  the  President. 

First  was  a  bundle  of  papers,  then  some  news- 
papers of  1887,  and  finally  three  photographs  in 
well  preserved  condition,  though  brown"with    age. 

The  bundle  of  papers  was  first  examined.      They 


n6 


A.    D.    2000 


gave  the  whole  secret  of  Cobb's  intention  of  un- 
dergoing the  ordeal  of  the  cataleptic  state,  together 
with  all  that  which  had  taken  place  up  to  the 
evening  of  December  ist,  1887,  as  well  as  what 
would  follow  on  that  night,  and  complete  directions 
as  to  what  was  necessary  to  be  done  to  again  bring 
him  to  life  should  he  not  gain  his  natural  state  by 
the  means  he  had  prepared.  Full  mention,  with  the 
names  of  Craft  and  Hathaway,  was  made  of  their 
share  in  the  work,  and  the  photographs  were  of  him- 
self and  his  two  friends.  His  leave  of  absence, 
also,  was  among  the  papers,  and  proved,  by  its  sig- 
natures, its  genuineness. 

Upon  intimation  from  the  President,  the  whole 
party  repaired  to  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
where  the  papers  were  carefully  read,  and  a  delib- 
erate consideration  of  the  matter  undertaken. 

The  records  of  the  War  Department  for  the  years 
1887  to  1950  were  then  sent  for,  and  the  record  of 
Cobb  and  the  other  two  found. 

Opposite  Craft's  name  was  the  entry,  "Killed  at 
the  battle  of  Ottawa,  August  5,  1917;  "  after  Hath- 
away's  name,  "Died  of  wounds  received  at  Bovispe 
Hacienda,  Mexico,  March  17,  1915; "  while  after 
Cobb's  name  were  the  words,  "Dropped  from  the 
rolls  of  the  army  as  a  deserter,  to  date  from  De- 
cember 1,  1904,  under  the  provisions  of  section 
1229  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  no  report  having 
been  received  from  him  since  December  1,  1887." 

All  those  present  read  the  instructions  contained 


A.    D.    2000  Il7 

in  the  bundle  of  papers;  all  saw  the  photographs, 
and  all  read  portions  of  the  newspapers  which  were 
found  in  the  safe.  The  signatures  of  both  Craft 
and  Cobb  were  carefully  compared  with  those 
which  were  made  in  the  old  signature  papers  at- 
tached to  the  record-book,  and  found  to  correspond 
exactly. 

All  present  agreed  that  everything  was  perfectly 
genuine,  and  that  the  articles  had  been  placed  in 
the  safe  about  the  time  specified. 

"This  is  a  very  remarkable  affair,  gentlemen!" 
finally  exclaimed  the  President,  after  again  looking 
over  the  documents.  "This  paper  directs  that  the 
place  of  entombment  be  opened  by  the  first  of  Jan- 
uary, 1988,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  possible.  It  is 
now  the  20th  of  June,  A.  D.  2000;  quite  a  long 
time  after  that  set  by  Mr.  Cobb  for  giving  him  as- 
sistance is  it  not?  If  he  has  done  what  he  says 
he  has,  in  my  opinion,  the  man  is  long  since  dead. 
The  mislaying  of  the  first  document  was  a  cul- 
pable act  on  the  part  of  the  administration  of  1908; 
but  it  is  our  duty  to  remedy  it,  if  possible.  I 
know  of  nothing  to  do  but  to  send  at  once  to  Cali- 
fornia and  open  the  statue  spoken  of  in  this  letter. 
If  the  man  is  dead,  we  may  at  least  learn  some- 
thing more  of  his  strange  undertaking.  I  feel  a 
personal  interest,  aside  from  that  of  my  office,  in 
this  matter;  for  it  appears  that  my  great-grand- 
father was  an  accessory  to  this  man's  foolish  vent- 
ure, and  I  would    do  all  in  my  power  to  repair  his 


i  1 8  A.  r>.   2006 

v 

wrong-doing.  Mr.  Miles,  I  desire  that  you  take 
measures  at  once  to  solve  this  mystery  and,  if  pos- 
sible, render  some  aid  to  the  man  Cobb,  if,  indeed, 
it  be  not  too  late. " 

The  Secretary  of  State  answered  that  everything 
would  be  done  that  was  possible,  and  that  men 
would  that  afternoon  leave  on  the  Central  Pneu- 
matic for  California.  He  arose,  bowed  to  those 
present,  and  retired. 

At  16:  30  that  afternoon,  two  men,  with  grips  and 
coats,  left  Washington  on  the  Central  Pneumatic 
for  California. 

The  distance  was  a  little  over  3,600  miles,  and 
the  party  arrived  at  its  destination  at  11:25  the 
next  day. 

■  An  immediate  call  was  made  upon  the  mayor  and 
council  of  the  city,  and  thj  purport  of  their  mis- 
sion disclosed.  Full  arrangements  were  soon  made 
for  going  to  the  Statue  of  Liberty,  which  still  oc- 
cupied Mt.  Olympus,  and  was  apparently  in  as  good 
condition  as  when  placed  there  in  1887,  and  ascer- 
taining if  the  disclosures  contained  in  the  safe 
were  true  or  not, 

San  Francisco  had  grown  so  much  that  the 
statue  no  longer  occupied  an  isolated  position  on 
the  outskirts,  but  was  entirely  surrounded  by  large 
and  beautiful  dwellings,  and  that  part  of  the  city 
was  now  densely  populated. 

As  it  would  not  be  well  to  have  the  mission  of 
the  party  known  while  working  into  the  base  of  the 


A.  b.  iood  ug 

pedestal,  it  was  decided  that  no  entry  should  be  at- 
tempted before  the  following  midnight.  The  two 
gentlemen,  having  taken  dinner,  proceeded  with  their 
arrangements,  and  soon  had  procured  the  services 
of  four  strong  men  to  open    the  supposed    chamber. 

As  the  dial  struck  the  hour  of  twenty-two  that 
evening,  two  hacks  passed  quickly  up  Haight  street, 
and  thence  to  the  foot  of  Mt.  Olympus,  which, 
though  surrounded  by  residences,  was  yet  bare  up- 
on its  top.  Leaving  the  carriage  in  two  parties,  the 
occupants  cautiously  proceeded  to  the  statue. 

It  was  a  quiet  night,  and  in  that  part  of  the  city 
few  persons  were  about,  and  none  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  top  of  the  hill.  The  moon  was  in  its  first  quar- 
ter, shedding  very  little  light,  and  in  consequence 
dark-lanterns  had  been  provided. 

Albert  Rawolle,  the  chief  of  the  party  which  had 
left  Washington,  and  who  had  charge  of  all  the 
preparations,  was  a  cool  and  quiet  man,  and  well 
fitted  to  superintend  such  a  piece  of  work.  Sta- 
tioning two  of  his  men  in  position  to  guard  against 
surprise,  he  commenced  operations  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  base.  He  had  made  a  careful 
survey  of  the  whole  structure,  but  could  find  no 
signs  of  an  entrance,  so  had  selected  that  corner  as 
affording  an  easier  task  for  his  men. 

At  23:55  the  work  was  commenced,  and  the  picks 
were  driven  into  the  hard  joints  with  quickness  and 
dispatch,  soon  making  a  large  breach  in  the  wall. 
At  1  :25  one  of    the  men  drove  his  bar  through    the 


120  A.    I>.     2000 

side,  piercing  the  wall  into  the  chamber.  Quickly 
enlarging  the  opening,  bull's-eye  lanterns  were  held 
to  the  hole,  and  the  interior  was  bared  to  view. 

As  their  eyes  gradually  became  accustomed  to  the 
gloom,  all  the  contents  of  the  chamber  were  brought 
to  their  vision:  the  cases,  the  batteries,  the  boxes, 
and  all  the  many  things  which  Cobb  had  placed 
therein  a  hundred  years  before. 

There  were  no  signs  of  life,  however;  everything 
was  as  cold  and  silent  as  the  grave. 

The  first  moments  of  their  excitement  being  over, 
the  men  went  to  work  with  increased  vigor;  for  there 
was,  indeed,  something  more  than  ordinary  in  this 
place — something  true  in  the  letter  of  instructions 
left  in  the  safe;  there  was  about  to  be  disclosed  to 
the  world  a  most  marvelous  fact  in  the  history  of 
mankind. 

With  alacrit)'  the  men  worked  and  toiled  at  the 
breach,  and  soon  it  was  opened  to  a  full  foot  in  di- 
ameter. A  moment  later,  as  one  of  the  men  gave  a 
rather  more  powerful  blow  than  usual,  his  bar  slipped 
from  his  hand  and  went  crashing  into  the  cham- 
ber. 

With  the  exclamation  of  the  man  came  a  sharp, 
crashing  sound  from  within,  followed  by  a  flood  of 
light.  Everyone  jumped  to  the  opening,  and  gazed 
within  the  chamber,  while  a  superstitious  shudder 
ran  through  each,  and  it  seemed  to  them  as  if  their 
very  hair  was  rising  on    end. 

"My  God!    Look!"  excitedly  exclaimed    Rawolle 


A.    D.    2000  121 

to  the  others,  and  his  voice  seemed  hoarse  and 
hollow.  "Look!  there  is  a  man  moving  inside  the 
chamber !" 

With  eyes  almost  protruding  from  their  sockets, 
the  men  gazed  through  the  breach.  Indeed,  it  was 
enough  to  try  a  man's  nerves;  for  within  that 
chamber  which  but  a  moment  before  was  wrapped 
in  total  darkness,  in  cold,  and  apparent  death,  was 
now  light  and  life,  and  a  man  was  slowly  rising 
from  his  bed,  with  his  hands  pressed  against  his 
breast.  They  watched  him  as  he  moved  feebly  to- 
ward the  fire,  which  they  could  not  see,  but  which 
they  knew  was  there  by  its  reflection. 

They  could  not  speak,  so  strained  were  their 
nerves;  but  their  eyes  followed  every  motion  he 
made.  They  saw  him  turn  to  the  fire  and  slowly 
rub  himself  with  his  hands;  then  take  a  bottle,  and 
striking  its  top  against  the  side  of  the  fire-place, 
break  it  open  and  take  a  deep  draught  of  its  con- 
tents, giving  no  heed  to  its  broken  and  ragged 
edges.  They  saw  him  open  a  chest  and  take  from 
it  what  appeared  to  be  a  quilt  and  throw  it  around 
him,  and  then,  seating  himself  at  the  fire,  continue 
the  rubbing  as  before. 

Lyman,  Rawolle's  assistant,  was  about  to  speak, 
but  the  latter  motioned  him  to  silence,  saying,  un- 
der his  breath: 

"Hush!  let  us  see  what  this  all  means — what  this 
man  will  do;  for  it  is  a  scene  that  may  never 
again  be  enacted  upon  this  earth." 


122  A.    D.    2000 

Cobb,  for  he  it  was,  as  is  already  surmised,  did 
not  sit  long  in  front  of  the  fire,  but  soon  arose  and 
took  from  his  breast  and  back  the  two  copper 
discs  which  were  held  in  place  by  a  band;  then 
tearing  off  the  bandages  from  the  lower  part  of 
his  body,  he  threw  them  to  one  side;  next  he 
placed  upon  the  fire  a  small  stew-pan,  filling  it 
with  the  liquor  from  another  bottle  which  he  had 
taken  up  and  opened. 

In  a  minute  the  savory  odor  of  cooking  meat 
came  to  the  nostrils  of  the  watchers,  while  Cobb, 
taking  it  from  the  fire,  poured  it  into  a  cup  and  be- 
gan drinking  it.  Five  minutes  longer  they  watched 
him,  during  which  time  he  had  finished  his  repast, 
and  had  partially  arrayed  himself  in  clothing 
which  he  took  from  one  of  the  boxes. 

No  longer  able  to  restrain  himself,  Rawolle 
placed  his  head  within  the  breach,  and  in  a  quiet 
tone  of  voice,  so  as  not  to  startle  Cobb,  said: 

"Your  friends  are  here  and  waiting  to  assist  you; 
what  shall  we  do?  See!  we  are  at  this  hole  which  we 
have  made  endeavoring  to  gain  entrance  to  your  cell. " 

As  the  words  were  spoken,  the  sound  seemed  to 
startle  even  the  speaker,  as  well  as  the  others,  and 
Cobb  turned,  and  for  a  moment  shook  as  if  some 
terrible  vision  had  passed  before  his  eyes;  but,  as 
the  faces  of  the  men  were  distinctly  visible  by  the 
reflection  from  the  fire  and  the  incandescent  lamp 
above  it,  he  soon  regained  his  composure,  and  in  a 
weak  voice  asked: 


A.    D.     2000 


I23 


"Who  are  you  that  have  dared  to  break  into  this 
place?  By  what  misfortune  am  I  thus  disturbed  and 
my  plans  upset?  By  whose  authority  do  you 
come?  Have  you  gained  the  knowledge  through  Mr. 
Craft  or  Mr.   Hathaway?" 

"It    is    by  the    order    of  the  former,  sir,  that  we 

have  broken  into    this  chamber,"  replied  Rawolle, 

not  knowing  the  exact  import  of    Cobb's    question. 

"Alas!"    murmured    Cobb,     "are    there    no     true 

friends  on  earth?" 

With  trembling  limbs  he  sank  down  upon  a 
box  near  the  fire,  but  just  in  view  of  the  others. 

"We  are    ordered    to    rescue     you,     Mr.     Cobb," 
added  Rawolle;   "and  your  weak  condition  demands 
-  immediate  succor.     Waste  no  time,  we  implore.      It 
is  the  President's  order." 

"Whose  order?"  quickly  exclaimed  Cobb. 
"President  Craft's." 

Weak  as  he  was,  Cobb  sprang  toward  the  opening 
through  which  Rawolle  was  speaking,  and  excitedly 
cried : 

"Is  it 'not  1887?  Who  is  President  Craft?  I 
never  heard  of  him.  Tell  me,  what  is  the  year? 
Are  we  in  1800  or  1900?" 

"Neither,  sir,"  answered  Rawolle.  "It  is  A.  D. 
2000. " 

"My  God!  Have  I  been  asleep  since  1887?"  and 
he  pressed  his  hands  to  his  brow,  clutching  his  hair 
as  if  endeavoring  to  tear  aside  the  veil  of  the  past, 
that    a    realization  of    the  moment  might  be  made 


124  A*   D*    20°° 

plain  to  him.  "Have  I  slept  a  hundred  and  thirteen 
years?  Am  I  now  alive?  or  is  this  some  terrible 
nightmare?  No!  no!  I  heard  your  voices!  I  live! 
I  live  again!  Thank  God!  I  have  not  failed  in  my 
undertaking."  He  looked  around  him  in  a  dazed 
manner. 

"But  can  we  not  help  you?"  broke  in  Rawolle; 
"you  have  no  time  to  lose  in  your  weak  condition. 
Tell  us  at  once  what  we  are  to  do;  it  will  take 
over  an  hour  to  enlarge  this  breach.  Have  you  no 
door,  or  mode  of  entrance?" 

"Yes;  there  was  a  door,  but  it  was  sealed  up  after 
I  entered  this  place.  Go  to  the  other  side  of  the  ped- 
estal, and  I  will  try  to  open  it." 

They  all  passed  around  as  directed,  and  Cobb 
applied  himself  to  the  wheel  and  gearing.  Weak 
as  he  was,  it  became  somewhat  of  a  difficult  task 
for  him  to  turn  the  screw,  but  the  mechanism  had 
been  so  perfectly  adjusted  that  it  revolved  even  by 
his  feeble  strength.  Lifting  up  the  spring  catch, 
he  slowly  turned  the  screw,  and  the  door  opened 
upon  its  rusty  hinges. 

A  moment  later,  all  were  in  the  chamber  of  the 
Statue  of  Liberty. 

Astonishment  was  depicted  upon  the  countenances 
of  all,  as  they  beheld  the  interior  of  the  chamber 
and  its  peculiar  contents.  But  Rawolle  gave  no  heed 
to  the  strange  condition  of  the  place;  his  thoughts 
were  upon  Cobb,  who  lay  upon  the  floor,  where  he  had 
fallen,  unconscious,  after  opening  the  door.    Quickly 


A.     D.    2000  125 

seizing  him,  they  bore  his  body  to  the  fire  and 
rubbed  back  the  departing  life.  His  legs  and  arms 
were  stiff  from  long  inaction;  his  face  was  wan  and 
his  form  somewhat  emaciated.  Their  work  was 
soon  rewarded  by  a  return  to  consciousness  of  their 
patient.  Rawolle  opened  the  box  from  which  he 
had  seen  the  clothing  taken,  and  soon  Cobb  was 
clad  in  warm,  comfortable  garments.  Ten  minutes 
were  consumed  in  preparing  fresh  broth  and  ad- 
ministering to  the  weak  man's  wants. 

Cobb's  strength  returned  quickly  to  him,  thanks 
to  the  liquor  and  beef  juice,  and  he  moved  from 
the  fire  toward  the  compass  case. 

"You  say  it  is  A.  D.  2000?"  he  asked  again;  "are 
you  not  joking  me?  Is  it  indeed  that  year?  or, 
rather,  is  A.   D.   2000  this  year?" 

"For  a  fact,"  answered  Rawolle.  "It  is  as  I  tell 
you;   and  we  are  now  in  the  year  2000." 

All  the  others  joined  Rawolle  in  assuring  Cobb 
that  he  was  not  the  subject  of  any  jest;  it  was  just 
as  had  been  told  him. 

"I  cannot  understand  it;  I  cannot  see  why  I  have 
lain  so  long.  I  should  have  been  awake  years  ago, 
in  1988;  something  has  gone  wrong,"  and  he  moved 
closer  to  the  compass  case.  "It  must  be  here,  if  any- 
where," and  he  leaned  over  the  box  and  gazed  upon 
the  needle  and  wheel-work.  An  instant  only  he 
looked,  and  then  he  sprang  back  and  exclaimed: 

"Ah!  what  is  this?"  and  an  expression  of  blank 
astonishment  came  over  his  face.     "What  is    this? 


126  A.     D.    2000 

The  needle  of  the  compass  not  at  260,  but  still  far" 
away  to  the  east  of  it!"  and  he  examined  it  most 
carefully. 

There  it  was,  not  at  260,  but  away  to  the  east  of 
those  figures — at  899,  or  to  the  reading  of  14  de- 
grees 59  minutes.  There  was  some  mystery  about 
this  that  sorely  puzzled  the  brain  of  Cobb. 

As  the  others  attempted  to  speak,  he  bade  them 
be  silent  until  he  could  solve  this  problem. 

Looking  down,  his  eye  fell  upon  the  iron  bar 
which  the  workman  had  let  slip  through  his  hand 
in  opening  the  breach.  It  rested  just  under  the 
aluminum  rod  attached  to  the  wheel-work.  From 
the  bar  his  eyes  wandered  inquiringly  from  one 
to  the  other. 

"It  shlipped  out  of  me  hond  in  making  ther  hule, " 
said  the  man  who  had  dropped  it  into  the  chamber. 

The  mystery  was  solved.  The  iron  bar,  in  slip- 
ping through  the  workman's  hands  into  the  cham- 
ber, had  struck  the  aluminum  rod  and  set  the 
wheel-work  in  motion;  everything  else  had  worked 
perfectly,  and  as  Cobb  had  designed  that  it  should 
work.  But  one  other  thing  troubled  him  very 
much,  and  that  was  why  did  the  compass-needle 
mark  899  instead  of  260,  as  it  ought  to  do? 

"Give  me  a  pencil  and  paper,'  he  said  to  Ra- 
wolle,  "and  be  still  but  a  moment,  and  I  will  answer 
your  questions." 

The  materials  were  given  to  him,  and  he  busied 
himself  a  moment  in  putting  down  some  figures. 


A.    t).    2000  127 

"Yes,  as  I  thought,"  he  soon  exclaimed,  throw- 
ing down  the  pencil.  "It  was  I  who  made  the  mis- 
take. Gentlemen,  you  see  that  needle  marking 
899,"  and  he  pointed  it  to  them.  "Well,  a  hun- 
dred and  thirteen  years  ago,  or,  more  accurately,  in 
December,  1887,  it  marked  1,007. -8.  I  computed 
that  it  would  move  to  where  that  catch  now  is,  at 
260,  in  one  hundred  years;  but,  like  many  another 
man,  I  made  a  most  simple  error.  In  my  work,  I 
read  14.355,  instead  of  1.4355 — the  mere  misplac- 
ing of  the  decimal  point.  It  came  near  costing  me 
my  life.  Instead  of  the  needle  moving  732.7 
points,  as  I  thought  it  would,  it  moved  but  73.27 
points  in  the  hundred  years  that  I  anticipated  re- 
maining here.  It  has  moved  only  108.7  points  in 
one  hundred  and  thirteen  years." 

It  was  well  that  Cobb  had  made  this  great  mis- 
take, for  the  movement  of  the  magnetic  meridian 
was,  in  reality,  so  slow  on  the  meridian  of  San 
Francisco,  that  he  could  not  have  used  it  with  any 
degree  of  safety.  One  hundred  and  eight  points, 
or  an  arc  of  1  degree  48  minutes,  was  too  small 
to  work  upon,  as  any  great  magnetic  storm,  earth- 
quake, or  other  disturbance  might  have  caused  it 
to  oscillate  over  such  a  small  arc  and  spring  the 
wheel-work.  In  fact,  the  needle,  as  Cobb  had  set  it, 
would  not  have  arrived  at  the  little  catch  before 
the  middle  of  June,  A.   D.   2198. 

Without  losing  another  moment,  Cobb  wrapped 
himself  in  a  heavy  overcoat    taken    from  the    iron 


128  A.     D.    2000 

box,  and  requested  Rawolle  to  take  the  other  box 
with  him,  and  to  take  him  to  a  hotel  at  once,  as  he 
needed  rest  and  refreshment. 

The  party  then  left  the  chamber  which  had  been 
Cobb's  abiding-place  for  so  many  years,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  the  Occidental  Hotel,  leaving  a  man  to 
guard  the  place  and  its  contents. 

Arriving  at  the  hotel,  Cobb  was  at  once  shown  to 
his  room,  and  refreshments  ordered;  later  on  he 
detailed  the  whole  story  of  his  long  and  death-like 
sleep,  and  received,  in  return,  all  the  information 
concerning  the  finding  of  the  safe  and  the  mission 
of  Rawolle  and  Lyman. 

Despite  the  secrecy  with  which  all  had  been 
done,  the  papers  of  the  next  day  contained  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"MOST  WONDERFUL  ! 

"Is  it  a  Hoax  ?    Is  it  True  ? 

"One  Hundred  and  Thirteen  Years  Asleep,  but  now  Alive! 

"Junius  Cobb,    a  Lieutenant  in  the  Army  in  1887,    was  Last  Night 

Taken  from  a  Chamber  Cut  in  the  Solid  Masonry  of  the 

Statue  of  Liberty  on  Mt.  Olympus. 

"The  Rescue  Made  by  a  Party  Sent  from  Washington. 

"The  Paraphernalia  Still  in  the  Base  of  the  Pedestal. 

"The  Story  of  the  Guard   Who  was  Left  to  Prevent  Entrance  into 

the  Interior. 

"The  Man  Now  at  the  Occidental  Hotel. 

"Copy  of  the  Dispatches  sent  by  the  Chief  to  the  President  of  the 

United  States." 

And  then  followed  column  after  column  of  the 
news,  which  startled  all  San  Francisco  at    nine  the 


A.    D.    2000  129 

next  morning,  when  the  extra  edition  was  sent  into 
the  streets. 

Thousands  upon  thousands  of  people  visited  Mt. 
Olympus  after  twelve  had  struck  that  day,  and  by 
midnight  of  that  22d  of  June,  A.  D.  2000,  the  whole 
world  had  heard  the  news,  and  wondered  and  won- 
dered. 


o 


A.  D.  2000    9 


CHAPTER  VIII 

The  sun  was  streaming  into  Cobb's  eyes;  he  was 
restless;  he  awoke.  The  room  was  empty,  not  a 
soul  in  sight,  and  he  lay  in  his  bed,  all  alone.  How 
long  he  had  lain  there  he  could  not  tell,  but  he  knew 
it  must  have  been  some  time,  for  his  bones  felt 
sore,  and  he  had  a  great  desire  to  get  up  and  stretch 
himself.  The  room  was  the  same  that  he  had  en- 
tered the  night  before;  of  that  he  felt  assured  as  he 
glanced  around. 

For  some  time  he  lay  half  awake  and  half  asleep, 
his  thoughts  running  in  a  most  confused  channel. 
In  memory  he  wandered  back  to  his  old  friends, 
Craft  and  Hathaway.  He  was  living,  but  where 
were  they?  And  his  kindred,  where  were  they? 
Dead!  all  of  them!  Not  a  single  soul  of  all  those 
whom  he  had  known  and  associated  with  were  liv- 
ing. Indeed,  he  was  alone  in  the  world  !  In  his 
mind,  once  again  he  viewed  the  longings  and  crav- 
ings which  he  had  cherished  for  a  knowledge  of 
what  the  world  would  be  at  a  future  day,  and  the 
vision  materialized  into  a  full  knowledge  that  at 
last  he  had  the  power  he  so  long  had  desired.  What 
a  wonderful  experience!  What  a  remarkable  trans- 
ition he  had  passed  through!  He  had  become  a 
king,  an  emperor,  a  very  god,  for  he  had  annihilated 
time,  and  passed,  in  a  second,    over  many  score  of 

130 


A.    D.     2000  I3I 

years.  Was  he  to  find  such  changes  in  the  world 
as  he  had  anticipated?  Was  he  to  be  satisfied  with 
things  as  he  should  find  them  now?  Had  he  thrown 
away  a  life  of  quiet  enjoyment  and  comparative  ease, 
among  his  friends  and  kindred,  for  a  new  life  in 
which  he  would  be  dissatisfied,  miserable?  Was 
the  light  worth  the  candle?  All  these  and  many 
more  were  the  questions  he  asked  himself  as  he  lay 
there  awaiting  the  approach  of  some  one  from  whom 
he  might  possibly  receive  an  answer.  He  could 
lie  there  no  longer;  he  must  arise  and  be  about. 
Had  they  all  deserted  him,  that  he  was  thus  left 
alone?  No,  that  was  hardly  possible;  they  would 
soon  come.  He  rose  upon  his  elbow  and  looked 
about  the  room. 

No  sooner  had  he  raised  himself  in  his  bed  than 
a  door  opened  and  a  man  entered  and  quickly  ap- 
proached his  bed. 

It  was  Lyman,  and  Cobb  instantly  recognized 
him,  though  he  appeared  to  be  so  differently 
dressed  from  the  style  which  he  was  accustomed  to 
seeing  that  it  made  him  doubt  his  identity. 

Approaching  close  to  him,  Lyman  looked  into 
his  ej^es  with  a  searching  expression,  as  if  endeav- 
oring to  fathom  his  very  thoughts. 

Still  upon  his  elbow,  Cobb  returned  his  gaze  and 
asked: 

"Well!  is  it  time  to  get  up?  Why  do  you  look 
at  me  in  such  a  manner?"  and  a  feeling  of  fear  ran 
through  him  that  he  might  be  laboring  under  a  hid- 


132  A.    D.    2000 

eous  dream,  and  that  he  was  not  only  alive  again, 
but  had  never  been  dead  to  the  world,  as  he 
thought. 

The  sorrowful  expression  of  Lyman's  eyes  disap- 
peared, and  a  glad  smile  parted  his  lips. 

"Thank  God,  my  boy,  you  are  yourself  again! 
We  have  watched  you  for  a  long  time,  hoping  for 
this  return  to  consciousness.  Do  you  indeed  know 
me?"  and  he  leaned  over  and  took  the  other's 
hand. 

"Of  course  I  know  you.  Have  I  been  sick?  have 
I  lain  here  long?  Has  everything  been  a  dream?  or 
am  I  awake  in  the  new  era?"  and  as  he  asked  the 
question,  he  sat  up  in  bed. 

"You  are  laboring  under  no  delusion,  Mr.  Cobb," 
Lyman  replied,  smiling  at  the  man's  eagerness  on 
the  subject.  "You  are  the  same  man  whom  we  res- 
cued from  the  pedestal  of  Sutro's  statue,  and  you 
are  still  in  the  land  of  the  living,  after  years  of  in- 
animation. You  have  had  a  long  and  most  severe 
struggle  for  your  life  since  being  brought  here  on 
the  night  we  dug  you  out  of  the  pedestal.  It  is  now 
the  16th  of  September,  almost  three  months  since 
yourTelease,  and  you  have  lain  upon  your  bed  or  sat 
in  your  chair  nearly  all  the  time.  Your  mind  has 
wandered,  and  you  have  known  no  one  until  to-day. 
We  have  sat  near  you  for  hours,  and  for  hours  have 
listened  to  the  history  of  your  life." 

As  he  ceased  speaking,  he  arose  and  filled  a  glass 
with  wine,  and  gave  it  to  the  other,  saying  that  it 


A.    D.    2000 


was   necessary  that  he    should  get  well    as   soon    as 
possible,  now  that  he  was  himself  again. 

"And    I    have    lain  here  since  June  22d?"    Cobb 
asked  again. 

"Yes;  lain,  sat,   and  walked-for  you    did  walk  a 
very  little  of  late." 

"It  is  strange!     But,  really,  is  it  A.  D.  2000?" 
In  truth,  it  is." 

"And  Rawolle;  where  is  he?" 

"Out;  but  he  will  soon  be  back,  for  he  has  not 
left  your  side,  except  for  brief  periods,  since  we 
brought  you  here.  One  of  us  has  always  been  near 
you. " 

Cobb  looked  at    him  a  moment,  and    then  asked: 

Will  you  please  explain  why    you    are    wearing 

such  outlandish  clothing,  for  it  is  entirely  different 

from  anything  I  have  been    accustomed  to  seeing  " 

and  he  surveyed  the  other  from  head  to  foot 

Lyman    smiled,  and  took  a  step  backward  that  a 
better  view  of  him  might  be  obtained. 

"All  in  good  time,  my  boy,"  he  answered.  "Suffice 
it  to  say  that  this  is  the  custom,  or  style,  now. 
We  have  got  a  full  suit  for  you  as  soon  as  you  are 
able  to  put  it  on." 

Saying  this,  he  went  across  the  room  and  'threw 
open  the  doors  of  a  wardrobe,  disclosing  a  number 
ol  articles  of  wearing  apparel  hanging  therein. 

To  Cobb,  he  presented  an  appearance  quite  out  of 
the  general  order  of  dress,  and  an  aspect  quite  corn- 
eal ;  yet,  the  more  he  looked  at  him,  the    more  he 


134  A-   D-  200°  v 

was  inclined  to  admit  that  his  dress  was  becoming, 
and,  no  doubt,  very  comfortable.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  he  had  seen  styles  similar  to  that  his  friend 
wore,  depicted  in  the  old  prints  as  worn  by  his 
forefathers.  The  main  features  were:  tight-fitting 
knee-breeches,  but  coming  a  little  lower  down  than 
those  of  the  old  style;  black  silk  stockings  and  low- 
cut  shoes,  the  shoes  having  large  gilded  buckles'  up- 
on  the  instep;  vest  low  in  front,  but  closing  at  the 
neck;  close-fitting  cutaway  coat  without  tails,  un- 
buttoned in  front,  but  held  together  by  frogs;  nei- 
ther collars  nor  cuffs,  but  in  their  place  small  and 
neat  rufflings.     There  was  no  shirt-front  visible. 

His  glance  was  but  momentary,  yet  it  was  long 
enough  for  him  to  note  these  few  changes  and  mi- 
nor details  in  Lyman's  dress. 

"Come,  Cobb,"  said  Lyman,  "get  up  and  dress. 
I  will  bring  you  your  clothing." 

With  the  aid  of  Lyman,  it  was  but  a  few  min- 
utes ere  he  was  thoroughly  arrayed  and  fitted  out  in 
the  prevailing  style  of  the  day. 

Handing  him  a  fine  pair  of  boots  of  very  light 
material,  Lyman  said: 

"Put  these  on,  for  it  is  wet  outside;  the  low 
shoes  are  worn  only  during  dry  weather." 

Putting  on  the  boots,  which  fitted  him  perfectly, 
Cobb  surveyed  himself  in  the  glass.  He  liked  the 
change  from  the  old  style.  It  was  indeed  a  com- 
fortable substitute  for  the  heavy  and  loose-fitting 
trousers  and  long-tailed    coats    formerly  worn.      No 


A.    D.     20OO 


*35 


collars  to  cut  one's  ears,  nor  cuffs  to  hang  down 
over  one's  hands.  It  was  handsome  withal,  and 
permitted  a  free  action  of  the  limbs. 

"Is  this  now  the  prevailing  style?"  he  asked  Ly- 
man. 

"Yes.     No  other  style  of  clothing  but  this  is  worn 
by  men, "  was  the  answer. 

"And  how  long  has  this  been  the  custom?" 

"A  great  many  year's — how  many  I  cannot  say.  It 
has  been  the  style  since  I  was  born.  I  believe  I 
have  heard  that  it  was  inaugurated  in  1910.  Cer- 
tain gentlemen  in  the  city  of  Chicago  were  the  first 
to  start  the  movement,  as  near  as  I  remember  it. 
Anyway,  the  change  was  made,  and  now  it  is  the 
only  style  of  gentlemen's  wearing  apparel  in 
the  United  States.  Of  course,  there  are  certain 
modifications  of  it,  as  for  summer  and  winter,  and 
in  certain  trades,  but  the  one  main  idea  is  adhered 
to,  namely:  close-fitting  clothing  and  knee-breeches, 
with  shoes  for  dry  and  boots  for  wet  weather." 

"I  think  it  a  jolly  change.  It  seems  like  old 
times,  when  I  dressed  for  mounted  duty  with  my 
troop."  And  Cobb  took  a  turn  around  the  room, 
bringing  back  the  memories  of  the  days  when  he 
had,  in  his  top-boots,  swung  the  belle  of  a  frontier 
town. 

At  this  moment  Rawolle  entered  the  room, 
and  started  at  seeing  Cobb  up  and  dressed.  With 
unfeigned  pleasure  he  rushed  up  to  him  and 
grasped  his  hand,  crying: 


I36  A.    D.    2000 

"Cobb,  I  congratulate  you  on  your  return  to  con- 
sciousness! " 

"Pray  don't  mention  it.  I  am  just  as  glad  to  be 
up  and  around  as  you  are  to  see  me. " 

"And  how  do  you  feel?  Have  you  had  a  good 
rest?" 

"Good  rest!  Well,  I  like  that!  I  should  say  I 
have.  I  hope  you  don't  think  a  man  can  sleep 
three  months  without  being  satisfied,  do  you?" 

"No.  You  ought  to  be  ready  to  get  up  by  this 
time,  I  must  admit;  but  that  is  not  to  the  point: 
are  you  in  condition  to  start  for  Washington  to- 
day?" 

"Yes;  any  time  you  desire." 

"How  glad  I  am!"  Rawolle  quickly  returned.  "I 
have  been  away  from  home  so  long  that  I  am  most 
anxious  to  get  back  to  my  family.  I  will  look  into 
the  matter  and  see  if  we  cannot  go  to-day.  In  the 
meantime,  look  over  the  morning  paper,"  and  he 
tossed  the  paper  which  he  had  in  his  hand  to 
him. 

"Yes,"  said  Lyman,  going  over  to  the  other  side 
of  the  room  and  taking  up  a  large  grip;  "busy 
yourself  with  the  news  while  I  get  our  traps  into 
shape  for  traveling." 

Cobb  took  the  paper  as  it  fell  into  his  hand,  and 
opened  it.  It  was  a  very  large  daily,  and  seemed 
to  contain  a  vast  amount  of  information.  Looking 
at  the  heading  of  the  paper,  he  saw  that  it  was  the 
"Daily  American."     At  the    first  glance  over  it,  he 


A.    D.    2000  137 

perceived  that  it  was  quite  different  from  the  pa- 
pers which  he  had  seen  in  former  days.  Leaning 
back  in  his  chair,  he  carefully  looked  it  over. 

It  was  not  headed  San  Francisco,  as  he  thought 
it  would  be,  but  America;  and  the  date  was  the 
1 6th  of  September.  Where  was  America?  he  asked 
himself;  he  knew  of  no  such  place.  It  must  be  some 
new  and  very  large  city  close  by,  else  the  paper 
could  not  have  reached  them  so  soon.  No  paper 
that  he  had  ever  before  seen  contained  the  amount 
of  news  that  this  did.  There  was  news  from  all 
parts  of  the  world;  net  scant  and  close-cut,  either, 
but  full  and  elaborate  accounts.  What  appeared 
to  him  as  very  peculiar  was  that  each  column  had  its 
own  heading,  as,  "From  Europe,"  "From  Asia," 
"From  South  America,"  etc.  Another  thing  that 
appeared  very  remarkable  was  that  there  were  no 
advertisements,  nor  time-tables  of  transportation, 
nor  lists  of  places  of  amusement.  In  fact,  there 
was  nothing  local  in  the  paper  that  he  could  ascer- 
tain. It  was  just  such  a  combination  of  news  as 
would  as  quickly  interest  a  man  in  New  York  as  one 
in  San  Francisco.  He  also  noticed  that  the  printing 
was  peculiar;  that  but  two  or  three  kinds  of  type 
were  used  in  the  body  of  the  paper,  and  that  the 
ends  of  lines  were  not,  as  formerly,  flush  with  the 
ruling  of  the  next  column. 

All  this  was  so  very  strange  to  him  that  he  was 
on  the  point  of  asking  for  information  from  Lyman, 
when  his  eyes  met  the  word  "Cobb,"   in  big    head- 


13s  a.  r>.  2nno 

line  letters.  Of  course  he  must  read  what  was  said 
of  him  before  asking  any  questions  regarding  the 
paper    in    which  the  account  was  given.      He  read: 

"COBB! 

"S.  F.,  15,  22  u. — The  physicians  in  charge  of 
Junius  Cobb  report  no  change  in  their  patient  dur- 
ing the  day.  Food  is  administered  at  regular  inter- 
vals, and  taken  with  apparent  relish  by  the  sick 
man.  Mr.  Cobb  has  gained  rapidly  in  flesh,  and 
his  health  seems  to  be  almost  perfect,  save  the  one 
remarkable  condition  of  insensibility  to  surround- 
ing objects.  The  physicians  in  charge  have  strong 
hopes  that  another  week  will  bring  forth  great 
and  marked  improvement,  and  that  the  man's  mind 
will  return  to  him." 

And  again,  further  on: 

"JUNIUS  COBB. 
"Washington,  15,  11  d. — In  the  Cabinet  meeting 
to-day,  the  President  said,  referring  to  the  peculiar 
condition  of  Junius  Cobb,  the  Lieutenant  taken 
from  the  tomb  in  San  Francisco  last  June,  'that 
if  his  condition  did  not  soon  show  some  signs  of 
improvement,  he  thought  that  it  would  be  to  the 
best  interests  of  the  man,  as  well  as  the  nation,  that 
he  should  be  brought  to  Washington  for  treat- 
ment.' He  further  said,  'that  all  of  the  apparatus 
used  by  Cobb  in  his  experiment  had  been  received 
at  the  State  Department,  and  was  there  held  until 
Cobb  would  be  able  to  arrive  and  explain  its  use." 


A.     D.    2000  139 

And  still  further  on: 

.  "LIEUTENANT  COBB! 
S.  F.,  15,  5  d. — The  excitement  in  the  case  of 
Lieutenant  Cobb  has  not  in  the  least  abated. 
Crowds  of  people  have,  for  weeks,  endeavored  to 
gain  admission  to  his  room,  but  have  been  prohibited 
by  the  doctors.  The  Lieutenant  has  shown  won- 
derful vitality  in  passing  through  the  fever  which 
followed  his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  Rawolle, 
the  President's  messenger,  has  shown  most  com- 
mendable skill  in  keeping  his  patient  quiet  and 
holding  back  the  crowds  of  reporters  who  wished 
to  gain  admission." 

He  dropped  the  paper,  closed  his  eyes,  and  sat 
in  a  kind  of  dreamy  state,  revolving  over  the  ex 
tracts  which  he  had  read.  The  world  had  not  for- 
gotten him  yet.  He  was  still  an  object  of  interest, 
and  his  condition  was  the  subject  of  special  tele- 
grams to  the  papers.  What  would  be  the  next  dis- 
patch sent  out  to  the  world,  when  it  was  found  that 
he  was  up  and  in  his  right  mind;  was  able  to  start 
for  the  capital  city — was,  in  fact,  on  his  way?  How 
would  he  be  received  when  he  reached  there? 
Whom  would  he  meet?  and  what  would  his  future 
be? 

His  reveries  were  broken  into  by  the  entrance  of 
Rawolle,  who  took  a  telegram  from  his  pocket,  say- 
ing: "We  are  going  to-day.  I  have  just  received 
this  dispatch,  and  will  read  it  to  you: 


140  A.    D.    2000 


"War  Department, 
Washington, 


PARTMENT,      ) 
I,    16,    13  D.    f 

"  To  Albert  Rawolle,   Occidental  Hotel,  S.  F. 

"Telegram  received.  If  Cobb  can  travel,  give  him 
the  orders  of  the  President  to  report  with  you  at 
once  in  Washington.  The  President  has  read  your 
dispatches  with  the  greatest  interest,  and  awaits 
further  information  in  the  matter.  Notify  me  of 
the  hour  of  your  departure.      Acknowledge  receipt. 

"N.  A.  Miles, 

"Secretary  of  State. " 

Cobb  listened  attentively  to  the  reading  of  the 
message. 

"Miles,  Secretary  of  State;  and  the  same  initials," 
he  mused.      Then  aloud: 

"Is  this  Miles,  who  is  signed  here  as  Secretary  of 
State,  any  relation  to  Brigadier  General  Miles,  of 
1887?" 

"Not  to  Brigadier-General  Miles,  Mr.  Cobb,  but 
to  General  Miles,  who  died  in  1918.  '  He  is  a  great- 
grandson  of  that  noble  and  illustrious  general." 

"And  who  is  President  now?" 

"Emory  D.   Craft,  of  Illinois." 

"Craft,  did  you  say?"  Cobb  quickly  asked,  and  he 
went  back  to  his  old  friend  of  the  artillery,  who 
had  so  nobly  aided  him  in  his  work. 

"Yes;  but  why  does  it  seem  to  interest  you  so 
much?  you  do  not  know  him;"  and  Rawolle  looked 
puzzled. 

"Perhaps  not,"   smiling;    "but  I  may  have    known 


A.     D.    2000  141 

his  great-grandfather;    in  fact,  I  may  possibly  have 
been  an  intimate  friend  of  his — who  knows?" 

"True.  Your  status  is  so  different  from  that  of 
any  other  man,  that  I  would  not  be  surprised  if  you 
had  been  his  bosom  friend. " 

Then  turning  to  Lyman,  he  continued: 

"Come;  it  is  time  we  were  attending  to  business. 
Let  us  go  at  once  and  see  about  our  transportation 
and  check.  Cobb  will  excuse  us  for  a  few  minutes, 
will  you  not?"   to  the  latter. 

"Certainly.  By  all  means  get  our  tickets  as  soon 
as  possible,  for  I  will  then  feel  that  we  are  soon 
to  be  on  the  road. " 

Saying  this,  he  lighted  a  cigar  and  watched  them 
depart. 

A  few  moments  later  he  went  to  the  window  and 
pulled  aside  the  heavy  lace  curtains  and  gazed  out 
upon  the  busy  street  below  him.  This  was  his  first 
view  of  the  outside  world,  in  daylight,  since  1887. 
A  hundred  and  thirteen  years  ago  he  had  had  rooms 
at  this  very  same  hotel.  Was  it  possible  that  he 
was  not  dreaming?  Was  he,  in  fact,  alive  and 
well,  and  again  standing  in  a  place  that  had  known 
him  so  many  years  ago — that  had  been  his  home  at 
a  time  so  long  since  that  every  mortal  man  who 
then  lived  was  now  dead  and  crumbling  into  dust? 
His  thoughts  wandered  back  to  the  years  long  past, 
to  his  old  friends,  to  the  happy  days  passed  in  their 
society;  and  then  to  the  darling  girl  whom  he  had 
left    in    Duke's  Lane — his   betrothed.     Alas!    they 


I42  A.    D.     2000 

were  no  more!     But  he:   he  was  here,  and  alone    in 
the  world! 

So  many  years  must  have  made  a  great  change  in 
the  history  of  his  country  and  in  the  manners  and 
condition  of  the  people.  Until  he  should  have 
learned  them,  he  would  be  practically  s  stranger  in 
a  strange  land.  He  remembered  how  he  had  sat, 
those  many  nights  before  entering  the  pedestal  on 
Mt.  Olympus,  and  wondered  upon  the  future,  and 
what  that  future  would  bring  forth  to  him,  if  he 
was  fortunate  enough  to  survive  the  ordeal  and  live 
again.  He  remembered  with  what  delight  he  had 
anticipated  coming  again  into  life  among  a  new 
people  and  among  scenes  of  great  advancement 
and  of  wonderful  progress.  His  hopes  had  been 
realized,  and  he  lived  again;  yes,  he  who  had  lain 
a  hundred  years  in  a  comatose  state,  now  breathed, 
walked,  and  had  his  being  once  more.  His  theory 
had  been  most  remarkably  proved — proved  by  the 
man  who  had  first  advanced  it,  and  the  world  should 
demand  no  further  proof.  What  would  be  his  rep- 
utation in  Washington?  Would  there  be  any  diffi- 
culty in  proving  that  he  was  what  he  claimed  to  be — 
a  man  who  had  lived  in  1887?  No!  it  could  not  be; 
for  there  were  the  proofs  in  the  safe,  and  such 
proofs  as  no  man  could  dispute — letters  written 
years  ago  by  men  long  since  dead — aye,  dead  be- 
fore a  man  of  his  apparent  age  could  have  been 
born.  No!  He  quickly  dispelled  the  idea  that 
it  would  be    difficult    for    him  to  prove  everything. 


A.    D.     2000  I43 

Recovering  from  his  sombre  chain  of  thought,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  street  beneath  his  win- 
dow. 

He  gazed  again  and  again  up  and  down  the 
street  and  across  the  way.  Was  this  the  Montgomery 
street  he  had  so  often  walked  upon?  It  differed  so 
from  its  former  appearance  that  he  felt  that  he  was 
dreaming.  Great,  massive  buildings,  in  all  the 
most  artistic  styles,  met  his  eyes  on  every  side. 
Beautiful  stores,  with  huge  plate-glass  windows, 
extended  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  The  side- 
walks, as  well  as  he  could  tell,  were  clean  and  in 
perfect  condition;  and  where  he  had  in  former 
times  noticed  the  peanut-vender,  the  fruit-seller, 
the  blind  and  the  lame  with  their  excruciating 
music-boxes,  and  the  scores  of  others  obstructing 
the  sidewalks,  was  now  clear,  clean,  and  wholly 
for  the  use  of  the  pedestrian.  He  noticed  that  that 
which  people  had  to  sell  was  kept  within  their 
stores,  and  not  on  the  sidewalk;  that  there  were  no 
signs  hanging  over  rhe  heads  of  the  passers-by  to 
fall  and,  perhaps,  break  their  bones;  nor  were 
there  any  posts*  of  all  and  every  description  along 
the  streets.  There  were  no  telegraph  or  telephone 
wires  in  view,  nor  were  visible  many  other  things 
which  had  formerly  been  eye-sores  to  people  of 
taste. 

The  streets  were  paved  with  some  new  kind  of 
material;  what  it  was,  he  could  not  tell  from 
where  he  stood,  but  it  was  such  as  gave  very  little 


144  '  A-  D-  2°°° 

sound  from  the  passing  vehicles.  It  was  smooth 
and  clean,  and  free  from  the  many  holes  which 
had  formerly  rendered  traveling  so  uncertain,  even 
dangerous. 

A  hundred  years  had  made  very  little  change  in 
the  heterogeneous  assortment  of  vehicles  one  sees 
in  a  great  city.  There  were  many  fine  and  elegant 
equipages,  with  and  without  horses,  the  latter 
driven,  as  Cobb  presumed,  by  electric  motors.  Yet 
of  this  class  there  were  not  very  many,  as  San 
Francisco  is  a  city  of  hills,  and  not  well  adapted 
for  anything  but  horse  or  attachment  propulsion. 

The  attire  of  the  pedestrians  was  that  which 
struck  him  as  the  most  peculiar.  All  the  women 
wore  short  dresses,  none  reaching  lower  than  within 
eight  inches  of  the  ground.  Their  feet  were  covered 
with  low-cut  shoes,  in  some  instances;  in  others, 
with  small,  neat  patent-leather  top-boots,  the  top 
of  the  boot  just  hidden  under  the  dress.  He  no- 
ticed very  few  silks  worn,  most  of  the  dresses  being 
of  heavy  goods. 

No  bustles  were  worn,  and  the  dresses  were  close- 
fitting  with  jacket  basques  in  most  cases.  Hats 
were  the  prevailing  style. 

It  seemed  to  Cobb,  as  he  looked  at  his  own  new 
clothing  and  that  of  the  gentler  sex,  that  the  very 
acme  of  simplicity  and  good,  sound  common  sense 
was  seen  in  this  new  order  of  raiment. 

Cobb  knew  that  there  were  many  things  for  him 
to  learn,  now  that  he  was  so  new  to  the  world,  and 


A.    D.    2000  145 

that  there  would  be  so  many  peculiar  and  remarka- 
ble inventions  that  he  ought  not  to  evince  much 
surprise  when  he  should  behold  them  for  the  first 
time.  There  was  much  that  demanded  immediate 
attention  and  study,  if  he  wished  to  be  upon  an 
equal  footing    with  the  rest  of  mankind. 

At  this  moment  Lyman  entered  the  room,  fol- 
lowed by  Rawolle. 

"We  have  been  a  little  longer  than  we  antici- 
pated," exclaimed  the  latter,  throwing  off  his  coat; 
"but  there  was  really  no  need  of  hurrying  too  much. 
We  have  plenty  of  time  to  reach  Washington  by 
to-morrow  morning." 

"To-morrow  morning!"   cried  Cobb,    in  surprise. 

"Certainly,  to-morrow  morning.  I  think  we  will 
be  there  at  6  dial,"  nonchalantly  knocking  the 
ashes  from  the  end  of  a  cigar  which  he  was  smok- 
ing. 

"Mr.  Rawolle,  I  am  prepared  for  many  new  and, 
to  me,  quite  startling  statements,  but  this  of  yours 
is  a  little  too  strong,  is  it  not?  We  are  over  three 
thousand  miles  from  Washington,  and  I  very  much 
doubt  your  ability  to  overcome  that  distance  by  to- 
morrow morning,  though  you  may  have  made  great 
strides  toward  its  achievement." 

"My  dear  Cobb,  it  is  just  as  I  tell  you;  at  least,  as 
near  as  I  can  remember.  Let  me  look  at  the  sched- 
ule and  I  will  give  it  to  you,  exactly."- 

Rawolle  took  the  time-card  out  of  his  pocket,  and, 
quickly  running  over  it,  said: 
A.  D.  2000     10 


I46  A.     D.     2000 

"No;  I  am  a  little  out  of  the  way.  If  we  leave 
here  at  16  dial  to-day,  we  will  be  in  Washing- 
ton at  8  dial  to-morrow." 

"Enough!"  pettishly  exclaimed  Cobb.  "I  will 
not  question  you  any  more.  Go  ahead  and  do  it, 
that  is  all,  and  then  I  will  be  satisfied." 

It  piqued  him  to  think  that  they  were  making 
sport  of  his  ignorance;  he  lighted  a  cigar  and 
walked  to  the  other  side    of  the  room. 

"Now,  Cobb,"  continued  Rawolle,  "we  have  our 
tickets  here,  and  will  leave  for  Washington  on  the 
16-dial  train.  I  have  had  a  trunk  fully  furnished 
with  all  the  necessary  articles  that  you  will  need  for 
the  first  few  days  in  Washington,  so  you  will  not 
have  to  immediately  look  after  such  things  upon  your 
arrival.  It  is  now  13  dial,  and  we  have  three  hours 
until  train-time." 

"But  tell  me,  Rawolle,  why  do  you  speak  of  16 
dial  and  13  dial?  Of  course,  I  know  you  refer  to  the 
time;  but  what  has  been  the  change  in  the  calendar 
that  you  should  employ  such  terms?" 

Both  Rawolle  and  Lyman  smiled. 

"True!  you  cannot  know  of  the  changes  which 
have  occurred. " 

Rawolle  drew  his  chair  closer  to  Cobb,  and  con- 
tinued: 

"The  calendar  has  been  somewhat  revised  since 
you  were  on  earth  before,  or  rather,  since  you  so 
unceremoniously  skipped  from  the  society  of  your 
friends;   and  I  suppose  you   have    not  kept  note    of 


A.    r>.    2000  147 

the  changes  in  time?"  looking  at  him  in  a  quizzical 
manner.  Cobb  laughingly  acknowledged  the  sally, 
and  requested  him  to  continue. 

"It  was  as  long  ago  as  1920,"  proceeded  Ra- 
wolle,  "that  the  new  order  of  time  went  into  effect. 
In  that  year,  a  commission  of  scientific  gentlemen 
was  convened  by  direction  of  the  national  legislature 
for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  feasibility  of 
making  such  a  change  in  our  calendar  as  would  sim- 
plify it  and  make  it  more  uniform.  The  result  was 
that  the  calendar,  as  we  use  it  to-day,  is  quite  dif- 
ferent from  that  which  was  in  vogue  during  your  time. 
We  now  divide  the  whole  day  into  twenty-four  hours, 
as  formed)',  but  number  them  from  one  to  twenty- 
four.  rOur  time-pieces  have  two  hands,  but  they  are 
not  used  as  were  those  of  old  time;  one  hand 
marks  the  minutes,  and  the  other  marks  the  seconds. 
The  hours  are  marked  by  numbers  showing  them- 
selves through  a  circular  slot  in  the  dial,  changing 
every  hour.  One  hour  after  midnight  the  dial  shows 
the  figure  1 ;  and  so  on  up  to  24,  which  is  the  close 
of  the  day.  Thus:  12  o'clock,  old  style,  is  12  dial, 
new  style;  and  5  o'clock,  old  style,  is  17  dial, 
new  style.  We  do  not  use  the  word  'o'clock'  any 
more,  but  employ  the  word  'dial,'  instead.  The 
word  'dial,'  however,  is  usually  omitted,  the  custom- 
ary expression  for  time  being  simply  the  numerals  of 
the  hours  and  fractions  thereof.  The  commission 
could  not  ignore  the  fact  that  the  excess  of  57.2 
minutes  per  day  over  the  86,400  used  in  the  compu- 


148   '  A.    D.    2000 

tation  must  still  be  carried  forward  as  an  excess  to 
be  afterward  accounted  for;  for  86,400  was  the  near- 
est number  to  the  whole  which  was  a  common  mul- 
tiple for  three  numbers,  representing  seconds,  min- 
utes, and  hours.  The  excess,  being  5  hours  48  min- 
utes and  47.8  seconds  per  year,  is  still  carried  for- 
ward to  the  fourth  year,  where  it  is  taken  up  as  an 
extra  day,  and  is  called  'Old-Year-Day.'  The  year, 
as  now  divided,  consists  of  13  months  of  28  days 
each,  and  one  day  over.  The  year  has  365  days,  as 
of  old,  but  the  first  day  is  not  counted  as  a  day  of 
any  month;  it  is  called  'New- Year' s-Day, '  the  next 
day  being  January  first.  There  are  28  days  in  each 
month,  with  a  new  month,  Finis,  added.  New- Year's  • 
Day  is  neither  Monday  nor  Tuesda}^  nor  any  other 
day  of  the  week,  but  simply  New-Year' s-Day; 
and  January  first  is  always  Monday.  The  advan- 
tages of  this  system  are,  that  every  month  com- 
mences on  Monday  and  ends  on  Sunday,  having 
just  four  weeks.  In  leap-year  the  additional  day 
is  called  'Old-Year-Day,'  and  is  just  before  New- 
Year' s-Day;  these  days  are  legal  holidays.  This, 
with  some  other  minor  alterations,  is  the  way  the 
calendar  stands  in  every  civilized  nation  to- 
day." 

"But  is  it  not  a  little  confusing  to  you,  this 
change  from  the  old  to  the  new  style?" 

"You  forget  that  I  never  used  any  other,"  laugh- 
ingly returned  Rawolle. 

"True;   I  had  forgotten  that    fact.     But  does   not 


A.    f).    2000  1 49 

this  extra  day  interfere  in  many  ways  with  the  dates 
of  bills,  notes,  and  other  legal  documents?" 

"Not  at  all.  The  extra  day  is  simply  New-Year's- 
Day — a  day  of  time  to  fill  in  the  year,  but  not  for 
any  other  purpose.  In  regard  to  the  dating  of  offi- 
cial papers,  they  are  dated  the  next  day,  and  this 
day  is  as  if  it  never  existed.     Do  you  comprehend?" 

"Yes,  I  comprehend  your  statements,  but  not  hav- 
ing had  any  experience  in  the  use  of  this  new  order 
of  dates,  I  cannot  say  that  I  am  fully  aware  of 
how  it  works. " 

"You  will  find  no  difficulty  in  its  application,  I 
assure  you. " 

Without  speaking  further  on  the  subject,  all 
busied  themselves  in  their  preparations  for  the 
journey  eastward. 


CHAPTER  IX 

At  15:42,  as  Rawolle  named  it,  but  at  42  min- 
utes past  3,  as  Cobb  persisted  in  calling  it,  their 
arrangements  had  been  completed  and  they  were 
at  the  front  entrance  to  the  Occidental. 

At  the  curb  stood  an  elegant  four-seated  car- 
riage of  very  light  construction,  with  a  driver  upon 
the  seat.  There  were  no  horses  attached  to  the 
vehicle,  which  was  very  low  in  build,  and  with 
wheels  of  fair  size.  The  driver  sat  in  the  rear, 
on  a  sort  of  raised  single  seat,  with  a  small  wheel, 
like  a  tiller-wheel,  in  front- of  him. 

It  was  an  electric  drag,  with  the  storage  batter- 
ies underneath  the  seat.  There  were  many  passers- 
by  at  the  time,  but,  thanks  to  Rawolle' s  care,  none 
knew  who  were  getting  into  the  carriage,  else  there 
would  have  been  a  crowd  in  a  few  minutes. 

Taking  their  seats,  the  driver  started  the  current, 
and  the  carriage  rolled  rapidly  down  toward  Market 
street. 

"What  do  you  think  of  this  for  a  carriage,  Mr. 
Cobb?"  asked  Rawolle. 

"It  is  a  most  decided  advance  upon  anything 
we  had  in  old  days,"  the  other  returned,  looking 
admiringly  over  it.  "This  is,  no  doubt,  an  electric 
carriage?" 

150 


A.    D.    2000  I5I 

"It  is  an  electric  drag,  and  the  style  of  all  the 
first-class  carriages  in  the  city,  except  those  which 
are  used  for  hill  travel.  These  carriages  run  up 
grades  of  three  hundred  feet  to  the  mile  with  ease." 

"Are  they  expensive?  and  how  long  will  their 
batteries  last?" 

"No;  far  less  expensive  than  horses.  The  bat- 
teries, or  accumulators,  are  very  small,  but  with 
great  power.  The  weight  carried  by  such  a  car- 
riage as  this,  in  accumulators,  is  about  fifteen 
pounds,  and  the  energy  is  the  equivalent  of  two 
horses  for  six  hours,  or  a  greater  number  of  horses 
for  a  less  time.  The  accumulators  are  charged  at 
the  rate  of  about  fifty  cents  per  set,  which  is  a  six- 
hour  run.  The  great  saving  is  that  when  the  car- 
riage is  not  in  use,  there  is  no  expense." 

The  carriage  was  going  at  a  good  round  gait,  but 
the  motion  was  easy  and  steady. 

Passing  into  Market  street,  Cobb  was  astonished 
at  the  magnificence  of  the  buildings.  He  could 
not  remember  ever  having  seen  a  single  building 
then  standing  as  being  there  during  his  time.  The 
architecture  was  grand  in  the  extreme;  beauty  was 
not  lacking,  but  was  combined  with  strength. 

He  saw  horses,  electric  motors,  and  cable  cars, 
but  the  latter  no  longer  ran  upon  tracks  on  the 
street;  the  trucks  were  all  underneath  the  roadbed, 
while  the  cars  were  held  aloft  by  thin  but  strong 
steel  supports.  The  cars,  moreover,  were  lighter 
built  and  set  closer  to  the  ground. 


152  A.     D.    2000 

He  saw  no  horse-cars.  The  pavement  was  every- 
where of  the  same  material — clean  smooth,  and  elas- 
tic; and  he  rejoiced  to  think  that  at  last  mankind 
had  awakened  to  the  fact  that  it  was  not  only  cruel, 
but  costly,  to  cause  horses  to  run  upon  cobble-stones, 
and  pavements  of  similar  construction.  He  did  not 
have  time  to  note  all  the  many  changes  which  had 
taken  place  and  then  in  view,  ere  the  carriage 
stopped  at  the  gate  of  a  most  imposing  edifice. 

Alighting  from  his  seat,  Rawolle  assisted  him 
down,  saying: 

"Here  we  are,  Mr.   Cobb." 

Having  gotten  out,  they  all  went  into  the  depot, 
for  such  Cobb  was  informed  it  was.  He  was  sur- 
prised at  the  grandeur  of  the  building.  It  far  ex- 
ceeded anything  he  had  ever  seen  for  similar  pur- 
poses. Rawolle  took  him  around  and  showed  him 
the  various  waiting,  toilet,  dining,  and  other  rooms. 

The  depot  was  on  the  site  formerly  occupied  by 
the  old  station,  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Towns- 
end  streets. 

Passing  into  the  main  hall,  he  perceived  a  stream 
of  people  coming  from  the  left.  The  interior  of 
the  depot,  after  passing  through  the  main  hall,  was 
a  vast  space  with  a  great  arched  roof.  The  ground 
was  paved  with  marble  slabs,  and  divided  by  iron 
fencing  into  five  large  compartments;  the  first  run- 
ning from  side  to  side  of  the  building,  while  the 
others  were  set  at  right  angles  to  it.  Each  of  the 
four  divisions  had  a  great  slot  or  opening  through 


A.    D.     2000  I53 

its  floor,  of  about  two  hundred  ieet  in  length  by 
twelve  in  width.  The  last  opening  was  filled  by 
a  train  which  had  just  arrived. 

The  people  were  flocking  out,  and  through  the 
gates  into  the  main  hall,  or,  as  Cobb  called  it,  the 
fifth  compartment. 

His  attention  was  riveted  to  the  train  as  it  stood 
upon  the  track.  It  was  so  different  from  anything 
in  the  railway  line  that  he  had  ever  seen  before, 
that  he  was  most  anxious  to  learn  something  about  it. 

It  was  a  train  of  five  cars,  each  about  forty  feet 
long,  and  of  circular  construction.  It  rested  upon 
innumerable  little  runners,  and  was  set  quite  close 
to  the  ground.  The  end  of  each  car  was  a  huge 
circular  disc  of  a  diameter  a  little  greater  than 
that  of  the  car,  and  having  an  elliptical  opening  of 
some  seven  feet  in  the  long  diameter.  Along  each 
side  of  the  cars  was  another  set  of  runners,  while 
two  more  sets  were  upon  the  tops. 

There  were  no  windows  to  the  cars,  and  they 
looked  plain  iron  cylinders  of  vast  size,  set  upon  a 
lot  of  little  iron  legs. 

Standing  there  a  moment,  Cobb  watched  the  last 
passenger  leave  the  hall,  and  soon  heard  the  guard 
cry  for  the  gates  to  be  closed.  Almost  immediately 
the  gate  of  that  compartment  was  dropped,  and 
he  saw  the  huge  train  sink  into  the  opening  and 
disappear  from  sight. 

Turning  toward  Rawolle,  who  had  been  watching 
him  with  a  curious  expression,  he  exclaimed: 


154  A-  D-  200° 

"Rawolle,  tell  me  what  kind  of  transportation  is 
this  that  I  have  just  seen?  It  is  something  that 
beats  my  time,  and  I  am  at  a  loss  to  understand  its 
working." 

"I  do  not  wonder  at  your  expression  of  astonish- 
ment, my  dear  boy;"  then  pointing  toward  the  third 
opening,  and  looking  at  his  watch,  he  continued: 
"You  will  see  a  similar  train  soon  come  up;  watch 
carefully." 

Cobb  did  as  directed,  and  in  a  moment  saw  a 
train  of  cars,  in  all  respects  similar  to  the  train 
which  he  had  seen  disappear  through  the  left-hand 
slot,  rise  from  below.  It  came  up  gradually,  and 
at  last  stood,  as  its  mate  had  stood,  flush  with  the 
floor  of  the  room;  but,  unlike  the  former,  it  had  no 
passengers  to  disembark.  There  it  stood,  silent 
and  empty. 

As  the  train  reached  the  level,  a  placard  was 
dropped  from  the  top  of  the  gate,  bearing  the 
words  "Omaha,    16  d.,"   in  large  letters. 

"That  is  our  train,  Cobb,"  said  Rawolle,  follow- 
ing the  eyes  of  the  other  to  the  sign.  "Let  us  get 
our  traps  together  and  get  aboard. " 

Approaching  the  gate,  which  had  by  this  time  been 
thrown  open,  and  through  which  many  people  were 
passing,  Rawolle  showed  the  tickets,  and  the  three 
men  passed  in  and  proceeded  along  the  train  to  the 
second  carriage.  Curbing  his  impatience  to  learn 
more  of  his  peculiar  surroundings.  Cobb  followed 
Rawolle  and  Lyman  into  the  car. 


A.    D.    2000  155 

The  car  resembled  the  sleepers  of  former  years,  ex- 
cept that  it  was  decorated  in  a  grander  style  and  had 
no  windows.  It  was  lighted  by  electric  lamps, 
which  made  it  as  bright  as  day.  The  seats  were 
somewhat  differently  constructed  from  those  of  the 
old  kind,  but  the  general  appearance  of  the  interior 
was  quite  the  same. 

A  porter  met  them  at  the  door,  and  after  seeing 
their  tickets,  showed  them  to  their  section 

Throwing  down  his  grip  and  coat,  Rawolle  said: 

"Come,  Cobb,  there  are  a  few  minutes  before  the 
train  leaves;    let  me  show  you  about." 

"All  right;    I  am  at  your  service." 

"Mr.  Cobb,  I  think  you  will  find  this  train  a 
most  decided  improvement  upon  those  used  in  your 
day,"  remarked  Lyman.  "Of  course  it  is  old  to  us, 
but  I  can  imagine  your  surprise  at  many  of  the  im- 
provements you  see  about  you. " 

"Right  you  are,"  returned  Cobb;  "there  are  so 
many  new  and  peculiar  contrivances  around  me  that 
I  am  like  a  man  who  has  just  awakened  in  a  land 
of  fairies.  I  am  not  going  to  be  too  curious,  but 
await  developments,  for  I  have  no  doubt  that  I 
will  be  satisfactorily  informed  concerning  them  all 
at  the  proper  time." 

"This  is  the  pneumatic  train,"  continued  Lyman, 
motioning  toward  the  train  on  the  track. 

"Now,  hold  on,"  interrupted  Rawolle,  quickly; 
"all  in  good  time.  It  is  better  to  explain  all  this 
to  Mr.  Cobb  in  detail.     Let  him  first  see  what  there 


156  A.    D.    2000 

is  to  be  seen,  and  then  we  will  explain  it  to  him 
afterward." 

Passing  into  the  first  car  of  the  train,  Cobb  was 
shown  the  smoker;  and  here  he  found  a  hundred 
little  inventions  which  had  been  made  with  a 
tendency  to  increase  the  comfort  of  the  traveler 
across  the  continent. 

"This  is  the  Central  Pneumatic,  or  Continental 
Express,"  said  Rawolle,  "excepting  the  baggage- 
cars;  they  are  below,  receiving  the  baggage  as  it 
arrives." 

At  this  moment  the  sound  of  a  deep-toned  gong 
was  heard,  and  Rawolle  said  they  must  hurry  back, 
as  that  was  the  signal  for  the  gates  above  to  be 
closed  preparatory  to  starting. 

A  moment  later,  they  were  all  standing  on  the 
platform  between  the  cars,  and  an  instant  after- 
ward the  whole  train  began  to  sink,  and  soon  had 
left  the  opening  far  above  them.  The  train  rested 
upon  a  sort  of  hydraulic  lift  which  came  to  rest  as 
soon  as  it  had  reached  a  level  some  twenty-five  feet 
below  the  floor  of  the  depot.  They  were  in  a  sub- 
terranean chamber,  or  rather  a  series  of  chambers, 
which  were  brilliantly  lighted  by  electric    lamps. 

There  were  many  tracks  in  every  direction,  with 
moving  trains  upon  them. 

Leaning  out  to  the  side  of  his  car,  Cobb  saw  an 
engine,  or  what  he  took  to  be  such,  move  up  and 
couple  to  his  train,  and  soon  he  felt  it  being  rap- 
idly hauled  away. 


A.    D.     2000  I57 

This  subterranean  laoyrinth  of  roads  was  similar 
to  the  yard  of  a  great  railroad  center.  Men  were 
in  every  direction,  turning  switches,  coupling  cars, 
clearing  tracks,  etc. 

Their  train  was  taken  about  a  mile  underground, 
and  then  run  into  a  great  iron  tunnel.  A  peculiar 
sighing  sound,  like  that  of  a  great  storm  a  long 
distance  off,  now  fell  upon  his  ears.  Turning 
inquiringly  to  Rawolle,  he  asked  the  meaning  of  it. 

"Air — sucking  air,"  was  the  answer. 

"Yes;  I  presumed  as  much,"  Cobb  returned, 
piqued  at  the  brevity  of  the  answer. 

"Observe  all  you  can,  Mr.  Cobb,  for  you  have  but 
a  few  minutes  more.  I  will  explain  it  after  we  are 
in  the  car,"  noticing  the  impatience  of  the  other. 

The  tunnel  in  which  they  then  were  was,  like  the 
great  lower  chambers,  well  lighted  up.  At  one 
side,  and  opposite  to  where  they  stood,  was  a  re- 
cessed chamber  containing  what  appeared  to  be 
very  powerful  machinery.  Cobb  saw  the  motor  dis- 
connect from  the  train  at  this  point,  but  he  was  not 
permitted  to  notice  further  the  working  of  this 
most  remarkable  invention,  for  the  guards  ordered 
them  into  the  car,  and  the  door  was  closed  and 
bolted. 

Going  back  to  the  smoker,  they  lighted  their 
cigars  and  settled  themselves  comfortably  among  the 
cushions. 

"Now,"  exclaimed  Rawolle,  sending  up  a  cloud 
of  smoke,  "now  I  am  at  your  service." 


158  A.    P.    2000 

"Then,  tell  me  all  about  that  which  "I  have  seen," 
Cobb  impatiently  asked.  "Don't  you  see  how  anx- 
ious I  am?" 

"Very  well.  Let  us  commence  at  the  beginning: 
In  the  first  place,  this  that  you  have  seen  is  the 
pneumatic  railway.  Its  official  designation  is  'The 
Central  Pneumatic.'  There  are,  in  the  United 
States,  quite  a  number  of  these  roads.  From  San 
Francisco  run  three,  as  follows:  one  to  the  north, 
one  to  the  south,  and  this  one  to  the  east.  Here 
is  a  map  showing  all  these  roads  in  the  country;" 
and  he  took  from  his  pocket  an  official  railway 
guide,  and  handed  it  to  his  listener.  "As  the  word 
implies,  air  is  the  motive  power — not  compressed, 
but  atmospheric  pressure  against  a  surface,  on  the 
other  side  of  which  a  partial  vacuum  has  been 
created  by  exhaustion.  This  is  the  method  in  the 
tunnels  only.  After  the  trains  leave  the  great  tun 
nels,  they  are  moved  about  the  yards,  which  you 
saw  were  all  underground,  by  electric  motors. 
Hydraulic  lifts  take  them  up  to  the  station  and 
lower  them  again.  Everything  is  underground  until 
the  train  rises  through  its  opening  in  the  floor  of 
the  depot.  When  the  guard  ordered  us  into  the 
car,  and  bolted  the  door,  we  had  been  pushed  into 
the  receiving  section  of  the  main  tunnel.  The 
main  tunnel  is  a  complete  iron  and  stone  structure, 
extending  between  San  Francisco  and  Salt  Lake 
without  break.  At  Salt  Lake  are  the  engines 
which  exhaust  the  air  from  this  tunnel,  the  pressure 


A.    h.    2000  I59 

of  the  external  air  being  the  propelling  power  to 
move  the  train  forward  to  its  destination.  The 
tunnels  are  twelve  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  rear 
car  of  the  train  carries  a  shield,  or  end-piece, 
which  almost  fills  the  cross-section  of  the  tunnel; 
in  fact,  there  is  but  the  hundredth  part  of  an  inch 
between  the  edge  of  the  shield  and  the  interior 
side  of  the  tunnel.  The  engines,  as  I  said,  are 
constantly  pumping  out  the  air,  but  this  is  carried 
to  such  a  degree  that  the  external  pressure  on  the 
tubing  of  the  tunnel  is  always  under  one  pound  per 
square  inch.  A  series  of  valves  at  the  end  of  the 
tunnel  farthest  away  from  the  engines,  permits  in- 
gress to  the  air  which  acts  against  the  rear  end  of 
the  train  to  move  it  forward.  The  train  is  first 
placed  in  a  movable  section  of  this  tunnel,  and, 
everything  being  ready,  this  section  is  moved  upon 
rollers  into  connection  with  the  main  tunnel — a  sort 
of  valve  action.  The  instant  this  is  done,  the  air 
is  permitted  to  enter  hi  front  of  the  train,  and  then 
gradually  shut  off  until,  the  train  having  acquired 
its  normal  speed,  the  valves  are  closed  altogether, 
and  the  air  permitted  to  enter  the  tunnel  behind  the 
train  only.  It  is  very  simple,  and  works  to  perfec- 
tion. There  are  inlets  through  the  rear  shield  of 
the  train,  to  which  are  connected  tubes  running 
to  each  car.  These  are  the  air-tubes  of  the  train.  As 
the  pressure  of  the  air  against  the  rear  shield  is  one 
pound  per  square  inch,  a  like  pressure  is  exerted 
at  the  orifice  of  each  tube;  but,  as  there  is  no  resist- 


i6o  a.  r>.    2000 

ance  to  its  ingress,  it  passes  tKrough  into  the  cars, 
causing  an  internal  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  of 
nearly  one  pound  per  square  inch.  Valves  opening 
in  front  of  the  rear  shield,  and  at  a  pressure  of  a 
little  less  than  one  pound  per  square  inch,  permit 
of  the  escape  of  the  vitiated  air  into  the  tunnel 
ahead  of  the  rear  shield.  Thus  a  steady  stream  of 
pure  air  is  maintained  throughout  the  whole  train. 
The  trains  are  received  at  their  destination  upon 
compressed-air  receivers,  and  gradually  come  to  a 
stand-still.  At  Salt  Lake,  forty  five  minutes  are 
allowed  for  this  train  to  transfer  passengers  and  for 
supper,  and  then  the  train  starts  onward  for  Omaha. 
At  that  city  the  train  is  again  made  up  and  starts 
upon  its  new  course  for  Chicago,  New  York,  New 
Orleans,  Minneapolis,  or  other  point,  as  the  case  may 
be.  Now,  our  train  was  placed,  as  I  said,  in  an  aux- 
iliary tunnel,  which  was,  by  simple  mechanical 
means,  brought  into  position  as  the  segment  of  the 
main  tunnel.  You,  of  course,  noticed  that  each  car 
was  fitted  at  its  end  with  a  circular  disc,  covering 
the  whole  end  excepting  the  door  which  leads  into 
the  next  car.  Well,  this  circular  disc  covers  the 
end  car  completely.  When  our  train  was  brought 
into  the  main  tunnel,  the  pressure  upon  its  end- 
section  would  have  been,  if  suddenly  exerted,  so 
great  that  we  would  have  started  off  with  a  great 
shock,  but  the  air  is  allowed  to  enter  behind  the 
car  gradually,  as  I  have  explained.  When  the  full 
momentum   is  reached  the  full  pressure  of   the  ex- 


A.    D.    2000  l6l 

ternal    air  is  allowed  to  exert  itself  against  the  end 
of  the  train." 

"And  how  long  does  it  take  to  gain  this  full  mo- 
mentum?" Cobb  asked. 

"But  a  few  moments.  Are  you  aware  that  you 
are  now  traveling  at  the  rate  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  miles  per  hour,  or  four  miles  per  minute?" 

He  smiled  at  the  look  of  "incredulity  which  his 
words  evoked.  Cobb  was  loath  to  believe  he  was  in 
earnest,  for  he  felt  no  shock  of  starting,  nor  did  he 
experience  any  motion  such  as  he  would  naturally  as- 
sociate with  such  a  terrific  speed. 

"Such  a  rate  must  make  the  wheels  spin,"  from 
Cobb. 

Lyman  looked  at  him,  while  Rawolle  burst  into  a 
laugh. 

"I  do  not  see  anything  to  laugh  at,"  the  other 
retorted,  a  little  nettled. 

"No,  no,  Mr.  Cobb;  do  not  be  displeased.  We 
really  meant  no  discourtesy;  but  your  remark  is  not 
what  you  would  have  made  had  you  thought  a  mo- 
ment, for  we  know  you  to  be  a  man  of  education. 
We  do  not  use  wheels  on  the  pneumatic  roads. 
These  trains  run  upon  the  many  little  runners  which 
you  saw  under  the  cars.  Were  we  to  use  wheels," 
he  continued,  after  a  pause,  "centrifugal  force 
would  tear  them  into  pieces  in  no  time.  Take  the 
case  of  a  wheel  four  feet  in  diameter:  the  circum- 
ference of  such  a  wheel  is  a  little  over  twelve  feet. 
At  the  rate  of  four  miles  Der  minute,  it  would  have 
A.  D.  2000     ii 


l62  A.    D.    2000 

to  revolve  1,760  times.  No  wheel  that  can  be  made 
would  stand  such  a  test.  It  would  fly  into  frag- 
ments inside  of  the  first  mile.  A  wheel  of  the 
above  dimensions  and  at  that  rate  of  revolution 
would  have  a  centrifugal  force  equal  to  1,000,000 
pounds.  Now,  as  the  centripetal  force  is  the  tensile 
strength  of  the  material  only,  and  that  of  the  best 
steel  wire  only  160,000  pounds,  it  will  readily  be 
seen  that  the  centrifugal  force  would  instantly 
cause  the  wheel  to  fly  into  fragments. " 

"You  are  right,"  Cobb  answered,  going  over  the 
figures  in  his  mind.  "Wheels  would  never  do;  I 
can  see  it  plainly." 

"Even  were  we  to  use  a  smaller  wheel  to  decrease 
the  centrifugal  force,  we  would  have  to  increase  the 
number  of  revolutions,  so  there  would  be  no  gain  in 
*so  doing.  Our  trains  run  upon  two  peculiarly  con- 
structed rails,  and  the  runners  are  flanged  to  ex- 
actly fit  the  rail.  There  is,  in  addition,  on  either 
side  of  the  tunnel,  another  rail  of  similar  shape, 
while  upon  the  upper  part  are  two  more.  The  car 
has  runners  for  all  of  these  rails,  and  the  position 
of  them  is  such  that  the  car  cannot  jump  the  track, 
or  swing  or  sway  from  side  to  side.  It  travels  as 
if  in  a  groove,  and  the  little  runners,  separate  from 
one  another,  conform  to  the  curves  of    the  tunnel." 

"It  must  take  powerful  engines  to  exhaust  the 
air  from  such  a  long  tunnel,  does  it  not?" 

"Yes,  very  powerful  ones.  But  what  is  different 
from  any  other  mode  of  propulsion,  the  same  engine 


A.    D.    2000  l63 

can  do  as  much  service  for  a  line  2,000  miles  long 
as  for  one  of  200  miles  in  length,  rate  of  speed  being 
the  same.  The  reason  for  stations  at  intervals  of 
about  500  miles,  is  because  more  trains  can  be  kept 
in  motion  on  medium  short  lines  than  on  very  long 
ones.  There  are  at  Salt  Lake,  at  the  receiving  end 
of  this  line,  fifteen  engines  of  5,000  horse-power 
each;  ten  at  work  all  the  time,  with  five  in  reserve." 

"A  pretty  strong  set  of  engines  for  a  single  rail- 
road, I  would  say;  and  a  costly  motive  power, 
too." 

"Not  so  costly  as  you  would  think,"  he  returned. 
"If  you  take  into  consideration  that  these  engines 
are  worked  by  electricity,  and  not  by  steam,  and  that 
the  electricity  is  furnished  by  water-power,  you  will 
perceive  that  they  can  be  worked  quite  cheaply." 

"Give  me  some  of  the  statistics,  please,"  said 
Cobb. 

"Certainly.  The  tunnel  is  twelve  feet  in  diameter, 
which  gives  it  a  superficial  area  of  17,712  square 
inches.  Now,  at  a  pressure  of  one  pound  to  the 
square  inch,  a  train  has  a  pushing  force  at  its  end 
of  the  same  number  of  pounds.  A  train  weighs  50,- 
000  pounds.  The  heaviest  grades  on  the  line  are 
some  of  two  hundred  feet  to  the  mile.  The  power 
required  to  push  this  train  up  such  grades  is  2,000 
pounds,  for  the  matter  of  friction  is  not  taken  into 
consideration,  being,  by  our  arrangements,  reduced 
to  the  minimum.  Thus  the  pressure  in  the  tunnel  is 
always  sufficient    to  move  eight  trains.      If  a  train 


164  A-     D.    2000 

moves  four  miles  in  a  minute,  then  the  volume  of 
air  in  the  tunnel  to  be  displaced  is  equivalent  to 
the  area  multiplied  by  the  length,  which  gives 
2,600,000  cubic  feet;  but,  under  a  pressure  of  one 
pound,  this  volume  becomes  3,000.000.  The  pumps 
at  each  station  are  ten  in  number,  each  of  thirty 
feet  diameter  by  ten-foot  stroke,  with  a  volume  for 
each  of  7,060  cubic  feet.  These  pumps  make  thirty 
strokes  per  minute,  which  is  equivalent  to  sixty 
single  strokes.  Thus  the  volume  of  air  displaced 
by  the  pumps  is  7,060  x6oxio=  4,236,000  cubic  feet, 
an  amount  far  in  excess  of  that  required." 

"Then,  judging  from  your  remarks,  there  is  prac- 
tically no  limit  to  the  speed  which  can  be  ob- 
tained by  this  method  of  propulsion?" 

"On  the  contrary, "  Rawolle  returned,  "the  limit 
is  reached  when  the  friction  on  the  runners  gen- 
erates such  an  amount  of  heat  that  they  begin  to 
disintegrate.  At  three  hundred  miles  per  hour 
they  become  very  hot.  As  it  is,  we  have  to  use  a 
very  peculiar  kind  of  alloy  for  runners,  and  during 
all  the  time  of  running,  keep  a  stream  of  oil  flow- 
ing just  in  front  of  each  runner. 

"But,"  asked  Cobb,  "does  not  this  oil  congeal  up- 
on the  rail  in  cold  weather?" 

"It  does,  most  certainly;  but  there  are  little 
scrapers  just  in  front  of  each  runner  which  cut 
away  the  congealed  oil  to  the  merest  fraction  of  an 
inch  from  the  rail.  These  cutters  must,  by  the 
train    running  between   its   upper    and  lower  rails, 


A.    D.    2000  165 

always  be  just  so  far  away,  and  no  farther,  from  the 
rails. " 

It  seemed  to  Cobb  that  he  could  advance  nothing 
but  what  this  man  had  a  ready  explanation  for  its 
action  or  cause.  It  was,  indeed,  a  most  marvelous 
invention.  Here  he  was  traveling  at  the  rate  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  miles  per  hour,  and  scarcely 
felt  the  motion. 

"Where  is  the  electricity  for  these  powerful  en- 
gines generated?"   he  inquired. 

"For  the  Central  and  Northern,  as  well  as  for 
the  Pacific  Pneumatic  and  Mountain  lines,  the  dy- 
namos are  at  the  Shoshone  Falls,  in  Idaho.  These 
falls  furnish  an  immense  water-power,  estimated 
at  over  300,000  horse-power.  The  current  is  deliv- 
ered at  the  station  in  great  cables  of  peculiar  con- 
struction, and  well  insulated." 

"Do  you  have  any  accidents  on  the  roads?  At 
such  a  rate  of  speed,  an  accident  would  be  fraught 
with  frightful  consequences,"  Cobb  continued. 

Rawolle  smiled  as  he  said: 

"During  your  time,  accidents  were  not  uncom- 
mon— in  fact,  I  might  say  quite  common,  judging 
from  the  old  chronicles;  but  we  have  never  had  an 
accident  yet  upon  any  of  our  lines.  There  have 
been,  of  course,  breaks  and  delays;  but  as  each 
train  is  in  communication  with  each  other,  and 
with  each  end,  and  with  the  chief  of  the  exhausting 
department,  everything  is  known  at  all  times  re- 
garding the  position  of  trains  and  their  condition." 


1 66  A.    D.    2000 

Striking  a  match,  he  continued: 

"No  train  could  run  into  the  one  ahead  of  it,  for 
the  reason  that  there  will  always  be  a  cushion  of 
air  between  them;  and  further,  were  any  ordinary 
number  of  runners  to  break  at  one  time,  the  train 
would  not  be  affected  by  the  loss." 

"How  wonderful,  yet  how  simple!"  exclaimed 
Cobb,  lost  in  admiration.  "But  I  am  at  a  lo'ss  to 
understand  why  the  people  of  my  time  did  not  dis- 
cover and  put  into  operation  the  same  project." 

"Perhaps  someone  did  discover  the  principle,  but 
had  not  the  means  to  test  his  theory,"  Rawolle  re- 
turned. 

"How  long  has  this  system  been  in  operation?" 

"About  thirty  years,"  he  replied,  after  a  moment's 
thought. 

"Tell  me  one  other  thing,"  said  Cobb;  "has  the 
pneumatic  railroad  superseded  all  other  kinds?" 

"Oh,  no;  by  no  means.  There  are  railroads  all 
over  the  United  States,  and  very  much  the  same 
style  of  your  day,  excepting  the  great  improve- 
ments which  have  been  made,  and  also  the  one 
other  most  important  fact,  that  all  engines  are  run 
by  electricity.  The  pneumatic  lines  are  through 
lines  only,  and  are  for  rapid  transit  between  very 
distant  points,  and  only  for  passengers,  mail,  and 
express.      All  freight  is  sent  by    the   other   roads." 

"Then,  the  towns,  excepting  the  great  centers, 
are  connected  by  electric  railroads  for  inter-trans- 
portation?" 


A.    D.     2000  67 

"Yes;  the  pneumatic  is  only  an  auxiliary  to  the 
rest  of  the  roads — a  means  only  of  overcoming 
great  distances  quickly." 

"And  what  is  considered  good  speed  for  the  elec- 
tric roads?" 

"Seventy-five  miles  per  hour  for  passenger  trains, 
and  fifty  for  freights." 

"Then,  they  must  be  very  differently  constructed 
from  those  of  old,"  exclaimed  Cobb. 

"They  have  very  different  roadbeds,  and,  of  course, 
different  engines.  But  enough  for  the  present," 
looking  at  his  watch.  "It  is  18  dial,  and  we  had  bet- 
ter get  into  the  sleeper  and  prepare  for  supper,  for 
we  are  almost  at  Salt  Lake." 


CHAPTER  X 

After  supper,  and  when  settled  back  once  again 
in  the  cushions  of  their  sleeper,  Cobb  immediately 
resumed  the  conversation  about  the  pneumatic 
roads. 

"They  must  be  very  rich  and  powerful  corpora- 
tions, these  which  own  such  lines  as  this?" 

"No,"  returned  Rawolle;  "for  they  are  not  owned 
by  individuals,  but  by  the  government.  All  rail- 
roads in  the  United  States  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
government,  and  are  operated  with  a  view  to  just 
covering  expenses. " 

"Are  the  rates  of  passage  high?" 

"We  do  not  consider  them  so.  There  is  one 
fixed  rate  throughout  the  country  of  one  cent  per 
mile." 

"But,"  musingly  inquired  Cobb,  "is  not  there  a 
difference  in  operating  the  roads?  Are  not  some 
more  expensive  to  the  government  than  others?" 

"Certainly,"  answered  Rawolle.  "But,  like  post- 
age on  letters,  a  universal  rate  is  found  to  be  the 
best;  the  larger  and  more  patronized  roads  paying 
the  losses  incurred  by  the  smaller  and  country 
routes." 

"I  presume,"  said  Cobb,  "that  there  can  be  but 
few  changes  in  the  general     management,  supervis* 

1 68 


A.   D.   2000  i6g 

ion,  etc.,  of  the  roads  from   those  in  vogue    in    my 
time?" 

"There  you  make  a  mistake,"  quickly  returned 
the  other;  "for,  having  been  connected  with  the 
pneumatic  lines,  I  am  well  posted  in  what  is  done 
to-day  and  what  was  the  manner  of  operating  rail- 
roads during  the  first  part  of  the  twentieth  century. 
Nearly  every  detail  of  to-day's  management  dif- 
fers from  that  in  vogue  a  hundred  years  ago.  It 
would  tire  you  for  me  to  go  into  details.  A  few 
facts,  though,  I  will  give  you:  All  freight  is  of 
two  classes,  and  is  sent  at  so  much  per  pound  per 
mile.  At  the  sending  point  it  is  stamped  similarly 
to  a  letter,  showing  date,  place  of  shipment,  des- 
tination, etc.  The  same  rule  is  followed  in  regard 
to  baggage  of  individuals,  the  owner  having  a  du- 
plicate of  the  stamp  placed  upon  his  baggage. 
There  are  no  tickets  shown  or  taken  up  on  the 
pneumatic  lines,  but  the  names  of  passengers  to 
depart  from  the  train  at  intermediate  points  are 
telegraphed  ahead,  and  the  persons  are  looked  after  by 
the  inspectors.  On  all  lines  the  tracks  are  double, 
trains  passing  but  one  way  on  each  line  of  rail. 
There  are  no  whistles  or  bells  to  the  locomotives  of 
the  service  lines;  no  tender  with  its  coal  and  wa- 
ter; no  cab  in  the  rear  for  the  engineer;  no  furnace 
and  fireman.  The  locomotive  is  an  electric  one, 
with  the  engineer  in  a  cab  in  front.  In  place  of 
the  huge  boilers  is  an  iron  and  steel  tank  contain- 
ing   the    storage    batteries.      The  whole  weight  is 


ijO  A.    D.    2OO0 

nearer  the  rail,  thus  bringing  down  the  center  of 
gravity  and  reducing  the  danger  from  oscillation." 

As  Rawolle  was  thus  enlightening  Cobb  about 
the  innovations  made  in  the  last  century,  the 
sleeper  door  opened,  and  a  trainman  entered  and 
walked  direct  to  their  section  and  asked  for  Mr. 
Rawolle,  saying  he  had  a  telegram  for  him,  at  the 
same  time  handing  out  the  envelope. 

Rawolle  took  it  and  thanked  the  man,  who  then 
left  the  car. 

"He  hit  the  right  man  squarely  that  time!  "  sur- 
prisedly  exclaimed  Cobb.  "They  seem  to  know  you 
here." 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  Rawolle,  smiling,  while  he 
tore  open  the  envelope.  "Every  person  on  the  train 
is  known  by  name,  and  section,  and  car.  Such  is 
the  system. " 

He  opened  and  read  the  telegram. 

"There!"  he  exclaimed,  after  a  moment,  extend- 
ing the  telegram  to  Cobb.  "There  is  an  order 
from  the  Secretary  of  State  to  stop  at  the  Central 
Sea."  And  he  and  Lyman  looked  quizzingly  at 
their    companion,  as    he    slowly  took  the  telegram 

and  read  : 

"Washington,  16,  18  d. 

"Albert  Rawolle,  on  Central  Pneumatic  No.  j,   east: 
"Telegram  received.     Stop  at  Cairo.      Submarine 

boat  Tracer  ordered    there    to    take    you  and  Cobb 

through  Central  Sea. 

"By  order  Secretary  State. 

"Harry  G.  Collins,   Chief  Clerk ." 


A.    D.    2000 


171 


Cobb  read  it  through  twice  ere  he  ventured  any 
remark;  then,  handing  it  back  while  a  troubled  look 
overspread  his  countenance,  he  said: 

"Cairo  is  in  Illinois,  at  the  junction  of  the  Ohio 
with  the  Mississippi;  but  I  fail  to  comprehend  the 
import  of  the  words  'Central  Sea.'  The  submarine 
boat  spoken  of  does  not  surprise  me,  for  I  would 
naturally  expect  that  that  which  was  almost  an 
accomplished  fact  in  1887,  would  be  an  actual  suc- 
cess at  this  late  date." 

"There  is  no  Ohio  River,  or  not  as  was  in  your 
time.  The  Ohio  is  now  but  a  small  stream  flowing 
into  the  Central  Sea,"  replied  Rawolle. 

"Again  those  words  'Central  Sea;'  what  does  it 
mean?  Is  there  an  inland  sea?"  and  Cobb  looked 
inquiringly  at  both  of  the  others. 

"There  is,"  slowly  spoke  Rawol'le. 

"And  a  mighty  big  one,  too,"  put  in  Lyman. 

Cobb  was  highly  educated  and  of  a  sanguine  tem- 
perament; he  neither  doubted  what  seemed  impos- 
sible, nor  did  he  believe  until  the  facts  were  clearly 
before  his  mind.  He  was  perfectly  cognizant  of 
the  physical  geography  of  the  United  States,  and 
did  not  understand  under  what  conditions  a  great 
inland  sea  could  have  been  formed,  or  maintained. 
Settling  himself  back  in  his  seat  and  breaking  the 
circuit  of  the  electric  light  to  lessen  the  glare  in 
their  faces,  Rawolle  continued: 

"I  will  give  you  some  facts  concerning  this  sea, 
for,  now  that  you  are  one  of  a  new  generation,  you 


172  A.    D.    2000 

have  much  to  learn,  and  we  cannot  pass  the  hours 
between  now  and  bed-time  to  better  advantage.  On 
the  last  day  of  August,  1916, "  he  began,  "at  about 
14  dial,  or  as  they  then  said,  2  p.  m.,  that  which 
was  taken,  at  the  time,  as  the  shock  of  a  great 
earthquake,  was  felt  by  thousands  of  persons 
throughout  the  central  portion  of  the  United 
States.  In  less  than  two  hours  later,  the  nation 
was  informed  of  the  true  nature  of  the  shocks  which 
followed  each  other  in  rapid  succession.  It  was 
the  explosion  of  natural  gases  deep  down  in  the 
strata  of  the  earth's  crust,  and  the  scene  of  the  dis- 
turbances covered  a  vast  area  of  territory.  During 
the  following  week  the  shaking  and  trembling  o,f 
the  earth  caused  great  destruction  in  many  cities 
and  towns  not  otherwise  affected.  Houses  fell,  the 
water  supply  failed,  and  other  serious  results  were 
experienced.  But  throughout  portions  of  the  area 
now  covered  by  the  Central  Sea,  the  scene  was  ter- 
rible, awe-inspiring,  horrible.  The  earth  heaved 
and  sank;  huge  cracks  opened,  and  flames  hundreds 
of  feet  high  shot  into  the  air;  thunder  and  light- 
ning added  to  the  horrors  of  the  situation.  The 
bursting  of  the  earth's  crust  was  attended  by  an  ap- 
palling roar  and  crash,  as  if  a  million  peals  of 
thunder  had  combined  in  one  grand  effort  to  terrify 
mankind;  then  came  a  pall  of  dense,  black  smoke 
that  wrapped  the  land  in  darkness.  Consternation 
seized  upon  the  people,  and  well  it  might,  for 
when    the     full    import    of     the    disturbances    was 


A.     D.    2000  173 

known,  it  was  only  then  ascertained  that  a  great 
cataclysm  had  befallen  the  nation.  Without  going 
too  much  into  details,  for  you  can  later  on  gain 
a  full  knowledge  of  this  great  physical  disturbance 
from  the  books  published  soon  after  its  occurrence, 
I  will  explain  but  a  few  of  the  facts  causing  it. 
You  are  aware,  Mr.  Cobb,  to  what  extent  natural 
gas  was  used  in  the  United  States  in  1887;  that  there 
were  thousands  of  wells  pouring  out  millions  of  cu- 
bic feet  daily;  that  many  of  them  showed  pressure  of 
from  ten  to  twenty  atmospheres.  From  the  time 
you  left  the  world,  as  it  were,  until  August,  1916, 
gas  wells  were  being  sunk  all  over  the  country 
drained  by  the  Ohio  and  its  tributaries.  Their  num- 
ber was  way  up  in  the  thousands.  Billions  of  cubic 
feet  of  natural  gas  were  being  consumed  or  flowing 
to  waste  daily.  Pittsburgh  alone  used  300,000,000 
cubic  feet  a  day  in  its  vast  manufactories.  The 
earth  in  the  Ohio  basin  was  honey-combed  with  the 
gas  pockets  and  strata,  and  gas  veins  were  struck  in 
which  the  gas  was  under  such  pressure  that  the  flow 
could  not  be  checked  by  human  hands.  It  was  14 
dial,  as  I  have  said,  on  the  last  day  of  August,  1916, 
and  the  workmen  in  the  large  foundry  of  Dillenback 
&  Co.,  at  Lakeside,  on  the  Ohio,  some  fifty  miles  be- 
low Pittsburgh,  were  tapping  a  huge  melting  of  alu- 
minum bronze  for  the  purpose  of  casting  the  outer 
shell  of  one  of  the  latest  model  guns  of  that  pe- 
riod. But  let  me  first  describe  the  interior  arrange- 
ments of  the  foundry,  that  you  may  fully  grasp  the 


174  A-   D-  200° 

situation  as  it  then  stood,  and  the  cause  of  the  results 
which  followed.  Natural  gas  was,  and  had  been 
for  a  long  time,  the  fuel  used  in  these  works.  Up 
to  1914  the  gas  boring  of  Lakeside  had  furnished 
all  the  gas  required.  This  well  was  of  ten-inch 
bore,  and  reached  a  depth  of  4,737  feet,  but  in  the 
3^ear  mentioned  the  well  had  failed  to  furnish  gas 
at  any  pressure.  The  standard  pipe  had  been  moved 
and  an  iron  plate  set  over  the  mouth  of  the  tube,  on 
a  level  with  the  floor.  Five  hundred  feet  from 
this  well  a  boring  to  4,016  feet  had  struck  a  new 
stratum,  giving  vast  quantities  of  gas  at  a  pressure  of 
five  atmospheres.  To  revert  back:  Just  as  the  tap- 
ping of  the  furnaces  was  made,  the  steam  boiler  of 
the  crane  engine,  through  some  unaccountable  cause, 
burst.  The  concussion  shook  the  buildings,  tore  up 
the  ground,  displaced  the  iron  plate  over  the  dis- 
used gas  well,  and  broke  the  aluminum  furnaces, 
letting  over  one  hundred  tons  of  molten  metal  flow 
rapidly  across  the  foundry  floor.  Recovering  from 
the  first  shock  and  fright  of  the  explosion,  all  efforts 
were  at  once  made  to  arrest  the  flow  of  the  liquid 
stream,  or  to  divert  its  course  away  from  the  old 
well.  That  well,  as  all  knew,  still  contained  gas 
intermingled  with  common  air,  the  mixture  being  of 
a  very  explosive  nature.  All  perceived  at  a  glance 
what  would  be  the  consequences  if  such  a  mass  of 
molten  metal  should  precipitate  itself  into  the  old 
well  and  fall  over  4,500  feet  into  the  interior  of  the 
earth's  crust;   the  shock  at  bottom,  the  continuance 


A.    D.    2000  zjr 


of  heat,  the    explosive    medium    through    which    it 
would  pass,  all  were  dangers  to  be  dreaded.     The 
gas    strata    were    overlaid  and    underlaid  by  water 
and  air  strata;  the  breaking  of  one  into  another  would 
cause  a  commingling  of  their  constituent  parts,  and 
form  explosive  compounds  of   the    most    dangerous 
types.     Human     efforts    failed    to    stem    the    fiery 
stream  in  its  onward  course  across  the  foundry  floor. 
With  a  bounding,  hissing,  and,  as  it  were,  victorious 
cry,  the    river    of    melted    aluminum     approached, 
reached  and  went  plunging  down    into  the  old    sup- 
ply-pipe.     Who    could   describe  the  terrible  effect! 
Of  all  those  hundreds  of  human  beings  employed  in 
Dillenback's  works,  but  two  lived    to  tell  the  story 
of  the  catastrophe.      These  two  men  knew  only  one 
thing:    that  the  earth  seemed  to    shake    to    its  very 
center,  and  they  were  hurled    down  among    the  de- 
bris  of    the    fallen    buildings,  while    sheets   of    fire 
almost  scorched  their  very  souls.      Peal  upon  peal  of 
thunder  reverberated  about  them,  and  then  darkness 
buried  everything  from  their  vision.     Burned,  bleed- 
ing, and  nearly  dead,  these    two    men  found'  them- 
selves pinned  down  by  the    timbers    of    the  works. 
Fire    was  upon  every  side;   the  timbers  were  burn- 
ing, the  heat  was  oppressive,  and  from    a    horrible 
death  no  man  could  save  them.     There  was  a  higher 
Power,     though,     who     had     ordained     that     these 
two  men  should  be  witnesses  of  the  full  effects    of 
this  mighty  effort  of  nature  to  overcome  the  grasp- 
ing endeavors  of  man  to  accumulate  wealth    at  the 


I76  A.    D.     2000 

expense  of  reason.  A  sudden  rush  of  waters  from 
beneath  them  cooled  their  parching  bodies,  extin- 
guished the  fires  about  them,  raised  the  mass  of  tim- 
bers which  pinned  them  down,  and  gave  them  their 
liberty.  You  can  read  of  this  escape,  as  it  is  fully 
chronicled.  This  was  the  cause;  now  the  effects. 
Are  you  tired?"  seeing  Cobb  so  quiet;  "or  would 
you  like  a  drink  of  something  to  warm  the  inner 
man?" 

Cobb  had  sat  with  scarcely  a  movement,  save  the 
heaving  of  his  chest,  as  he  listened  to  this  terrible 
narrative.  The  last  words  of  Rawolle  seemed  to 
awaken  him. 

"No,  and  yes,"  he  slowly  replied.  "Let  us  take 
a  glass  of  wine  and  retire.  I  wish  to  think  this 
over  before  you  finish.  My  head  aches,  and  I  need 
rest. " 

A  few  minutes  later,  all  was  quiet  in  the  first 
sleeper  of  the  Central  Pneumatic  No.  3,  east. 

It  was  2:25  dial,  or  25  minutes  past  2,  the 
next  morning,  when  the  Central  Pneumatic  arrived 
at  Cairo. 

Here  Rawolle' s  party  was  met  at  the  train  by  an 
officer  from  the  government  submarine  boat  Tracer, 
and  conducted  aboard  that  vessel,  which  lay  at  an- 
chor in  the  stream.  Cobb  was  informed  that,  as  it 
was  so  early,  he  had  better  retire  and  take  a  little 
more  rest,  for  they  would  not  weigh  anchor  until 
7  dial.  Acquiescing,  he  was  shown  to  his  state- 
room. 


A.    D.     2000  177 

It  was  a  cozy  affair,  indeed,  that  Cobb  was  ush- 
ered into — a  little,  but  handsomely  furnished  room, 
containing  all  that  one  could  desire  in  a  thoroughly 
well-appointed  apartment.  Electric  lamps  threw 
a  charming,  subdued  light  over  everything  in  the 
room,  while  an  electric  heater  diffused  a  gentle 
warmth  which  was  most  agreeable  this  September 
morning.  Retiring  to  rest,  Cobb  dreamed  of  noth- 
ing but  pneumatic  railways,  submarine  boats,  and 
gigantic  convulsions  of  nature. 

It  was  about  7  dial  when  both  Rawolle  and 
Lyman  came  and  awoke  their  guest,  who,  after  a 
refreshing  bath  and  a  delicious  breakfast,  ascended 
to  the  upper  deck  of  the  Tracer. 

The  main  deck  of  the  vessel  was  of  very  small 
area  amidship,  some  two  feet  above  the  water- 
line,  and  inclosed  by  an  iron  railing. 

A  beautiful  scene  presented  itself  to  his  view. 
The  Tracer  layabout  half  a  mile  from  the  docks  of 
Cairo,  and  that  city  was  just  awakening  to  its  daily 
round  of  bustle  and  activity.  The  stream  was  cov- 
ered with  shipping,  some  at  anchor,  while  others 
were  plying  between  the  city  and  the  opposite  shore, 
a  mile  and  a  half  away.  Sailing  craft  there  were 
a  plenty,  but  no  steamers,  though  there  were  many 
vessels  moving  swiftly  through  the  water,  yet  show- 
ing no  smoke  or  funnels. 

This   fact  was    immediately  noted    by  Cobb,  and 
inquiry  made  of  Lyman,  who  stood  near  him,  as  to 
why  there  was  no  smoke  visible. 
A.  D.  2000     12 


178  A.    D.    2000 

"Neither  coal  nor  wood  is  now  used    for    marine 
propulsion,"  replied  Lyman.     "Lipthalite  vapor,  or 
lipthalene,  is  now  the  motive  power  of  vessels  with 
out  sails.      I  will  show  you  some  of  this    lipthalite, 
later  on,  in  this  vessel." 

Turning  his  eyes  from  the  busy  and  charming 
scene  about  him,  Cobb's  thoughts  came  back  to  his 
immediate  surroundings.  What  was  he  standing  up 
on?  The  small,  water-flush  deck  of  a  metal  subma- 
rine vessel,  the  total  area  of  which  could  not  ex- 
ceed a  thousand  square  feet.  A  number  of  pecul- 
iar openings,  valves,  and  pipes  abutted  on  the  deck, 
and  a  single  metal  mast  stood  at  the  bows;  but  no 
smoke-stack  or  other  accessories  to  propulsion  were 
visible. 

Srrveying  all  these  things,  he  was  about  to  ask 
information  concerning  their  use,  when  Lieutenant 
Sibley,  the  officer  in  command,  made  his  appear- 
ance, and  was  introduced  to  him. 

"I  am  sorry  I  was  not  aboard  to  welcome  your 
arrival,  last  evening,  Mr.  Cobb,"  he  began,  in  a 
courteous  and  pleasing  tone  of  voice,  "but  I  was  de- 
tained in  Central  City,  across  the  river,  until  early 
this  morning.  I  hope  you  slept  well,  and  are  ready 
for  the  trip  to  Pittsburgh?" 

"Not  only  ready,  but  anxious  for  it,"  was  the  re- 
ply. 

In  a  few  moments  more,  by  order  of  the  Lieuten 
ant,  the  anchor  was  raised,  and  the  Tracer  moved  up 
the  stream,  headed  E.  %  N. 


A.     D.    2000 


179 


As  the  vessel  moved  through  the  shipping,  the  na- 
tional colors,  which  were  displayed  from  its  mast, 
were  saluted  by  the  dipping  of  flags  and  sounding  of 
whistles. 

A  hoarse-toned  marine  whistle,  almost  at  Cobb's 
feet,  answered  these  salutations,  and  also  caused 
that  gentleman  to  jump  back  with  a  startled  expres- 
sion. 

Drawing  his  hand  from  the  whistle  button,  Lieu- 
tenant Sibley  apologized  for  frightening  him,  say- 
ing: 

"It  did  not  occur  to  me  that  I  had  others  aboard 
than  those  who  are  accustomed  to  these  vessels." 

The  Tracer  was  a  cigar-shaped  vessel  of  two 
hundred  feet  in  length  by  twenty  beam,  or  middle 
diameter,  and  of  nearly  1,000  tons  displacement 
when  submerged. 

With  an  outer  shell  of  aluminum  bronze  and  an 
inner  shell  of  the  finest  steel,  the  vessel  combined 
great  strength  with  a  minimum  amount  of  metal  in 
its  construction. 

"Gentlemen,  if  you  will  follow  me,"  said  Lieu- 
tenant Sibley,  "I  will  show  you  over  the  vessel." 

Descending  the  companion-way,  the  entrance  to 
which  could  be  closed  by  an  air-tight  door,  the  party 
proceeded  about  the  vessel. 

Longitudinally  and  horizontally,  from  apex  to 
apex  of  the  cones,  was  a  steel  deck  dividing  the 
vessel  into  two  equal  parts.  The  first  forty-five 
feet  of  each  cone  contained  the  tubes  of  compressed 


l8o  A.    D.    2000 

air  and  oxygen.  There  were  in  each  end  about 
2,500  feet  of  five-inch  steel  tubes,  one-half  inch  thick, 
containing  over  4,500  cubic  feet  of  air  under  a  pressure 
of  1,500  pounds  per  square  inch.  This  was  sufficient, 
as  Lieutenant  Sibley  explained,  to  sustain  active 
life  for  the  entire  crew  for  two  hours.  "But  we  have 
other  facilities,"  continued  the  Lieutenant,  "by 
which  the  vitiated  air  is  deprived  of  its  carbonic 
acid,  and  then  recharged  with  the  lipthalene  gas 
from  the  receivers  and  oxygen  from  the  pipes,  giv- 
ing about  eight  hours  of  active  life  to  the  inmates 
of  the  vessel  when  totally  deprived  of  air  exter- 
nally. " 

The  store-rooms,  mess-rooms,  and  quarters  of  the 
men  were  visited.  Small  though  these  rooms  were, 
they  were  made  with  every  convenience,  and  given 
every  useful  contrivance  which  this  great  age  of  in- 
vention could  produce. 

The  Tracer  was  not  a  war  vessel,  but  belonged  to 
the  Geographical  Bureau,  and  was  used  in  chart- 
ing the  Central  Sea.  Her  complement  was  small: 
two  engineers,  two  pilots,  one  electrician,  cook, 
assistant  cook,  captain's  boy,  two  helpers,  and  two 
officers.  Everything  was  so  admirabl}'  arranged, 
and  machinery  played  such  a  wonderful  part  in  the 
power  required  to  handle  the  vessel,  that  a  larger 
force  was  not  only  unnecessary,  but  would  have 
been  detrimental  to  a  satisfactory  working  of  the 
vessel. 

Cobb  called  attention  to  the  steel  partitions  be- 


A.    D.    2000  i (Si 

tween  the  rooms,  and  asked  why  so  much  strength 
was  required. 

"There  are,''  answered  Lieutenant  Sibley, 
"twelve  partitions,  dividing  the  vessel  into  twenty- 
six  compartments.  In  case  of  accident  to  the 
outer  shell,  whereby  water  might  gain  ingress,  that 
particular  compartment  can  instantly  be  closed 
and  the  flow  of  water  confined  to  it.  Before  going 
down  into  the  engine-room,  I  will  give  you  some 
idea  of  this  remarkable  vessel.  The  Tracer,  when 
fully  submerged,  displaces  1,000  tons  of  water. 
The  shell  of  the  vessel  is  of  1^2-inch  steel,  cov- 
ered externally  by  an  aluminum  armor  of  .3  of  an 
inch  in  thickness,  and  weighs  570,000  pounds.  The 
steel  deck  upon  which  we  stand  weighs  500,000; 
the  steel  partitions,  braces,  and  iron-work  weigh 
195,000;  the  engines  and  machinery,  200,000;  com- 
pressed air  pipes,  125,000;  the  water  cylinders, 
which  you  will  soon  see,  weigh  100,000;  all  other 
parts,  stores,  lipthalite,  etc.,  are  allowed  50,000 
pounds.  Now,  added  to  all  this,  is  an  immense 
aluminum-covered  iron  weight  of  150,000  pounds 
attached  to  the  bottom  of  the  vessel,  and  which  can 
instantly  be  freed  and  dropped  from  the  ship  into 
the  sea,  by  simply  breaking  an  electrical  connection. 
This  circuit  is  accessible  from  all  parts  of  the  ves- 
sel. Let  us  descend  into  the  engine-rooms,  and  I 
will  there  explain  why  I  have  been  so  particular  in 
giving  you  these  weights." 

Following  the  Lieutenant  down  the  narrow  ladder 


1 82  A.    D.    2000 

into  the  depth  below,  Cobb,  Rawolle,  and  Lyman 
were  soon  facing  the  powerful  but  small  engines 
of  the  Tracer. 

The  room  was  large,  clean,  warm,  and  brightly 
illuminated  by  electricity.  Here,  Mr.  Lochridge, 
the  first  engineer,  was  introduced  by  Lieutenant 
Sibley. 

Cobb  had  seen  the  engines  of  many  of  the  first- 
class  vessels  of  his  day,  had  noted  their  power  and 
huge  dimensions;  but  never  before  had  he  perceived 
such  beautiful  specimens  of  strength  combined 
with  size;  nor  did  the  finest  workmanship  he  had 
ever  seen  approach  to  the  perfection  of  the  engines 
he  saw  beating  and  pulsating  before  him. 

Cobb  looked  them  carefully  over  before  venturing 
any  remark.  He  noted  an  absence  of  steam  and 
heat,  the  peculiar  construction  of  the  boilers,  and 
many  other,  to  him,  new  inventions. 

"I  believe,  Mr.  Rawolle,"  he  finally  said,  turning 
to  him,  "that  you  informed  me  last  evening  that 
no  steam  was  used  at  the  present  day,  but  in  its 
place,  lipthalite?" 

"That  is  our  fuel  and  vapor  nowadays,"  broke  in 
Mr.    Lochridge. 

He  led  the  way  to  two  receivers,  bearing  some 
slight  resemblance  to  the  boilers  of  a  steamer. 

"Here  are  our  boilers  and  furnaces  combined,  "he 
continued;  "and  these,"  as  he  laid  his  hand  upon 
two  very  peculiarly  constructed  frontal  additions, 
which  had  quite  a  number  of  straight  pipes  running 


A.    D.    2000  183 

into  the  large  receiver,  "are  our  furnaces,  if  you 
choose  to  call  them  by  such  a  designation;  we  call 
them  generators.  Lipthalite  is  our  fuel  and  gas 
developer." 

Mr.  Lochridge  stooped  down  and  took  from  a  case, 
containing  many  more,  a  stick  of  dark-brown  mate- 
rial about  four  feet  long  by  one  inch  in  diameter, 
and  handed  it  to  Cobb  for  his  inspection,  saying: 

"That  is  lipthalite.  These  rods  are  placed  in  those 
tubes,  and,  by  proper  mechanism,  pushed  through 
into  the  field  of  an  arc  light  situated  in  the  genera- 
tor. Gas  is  evolved  in  great  quantities,  but  the 
composition  burns  only  while  in  the  field  of  the 
arc.  Little  heat  is  developed.  The  gas  is  deliv- 
ered to  the  cylinders  in  the  same  manner  as  was 
steam  in  your  day. " 

"What  is  the  volume  of  gas  as  compared  with  the 
solid  base?  and  is  it  cheaper  and  as  efficient  as  va- 
por of  water?" 

"I  expected  that  question,  Mr.  Cobb,"  returned 
Mr.  Lochridge,  "and  will  explain  it.  One  cubic 
foot  of  water,  as  you  know,  produces  nearly  1,700 
cubic  feet  of  steam;  one  cubic  inch  of  gunpowder 
makes  about  1,500  cubic  inches  of  carbonic  acid  and 
nitrogen  gases;  while  one  cubic  inch  of  lipthalite 
will  evolve  500  cubic  feet  of  lipthalene,  a  combi- 
nation of  nitrogen,  carbonic  acid,  and  other  gases. 
The  ratio  between  water  and  lipthalite,  evolved 
into  gas,  is  as  1  to  500.  In  other  words,  to  operate 
the  engines  of    this  vessel  at  a  given  speed  for  one 


184  A-  D-  2000 

hour,  requires,  of  coal  and  water,  one  and  thirty-one 
tons  respectively;  while  of  lipthalite,  twenty-three 
pounds.  Leaving  out  the  question  of  water,  of 
which  there  is  a  plentiful  supply  surrounding  the 
vessel,  the  gain  in  a  twenty-four  hours'  run  for  lip- 
thalite over  coal  is  as  1  is  to  96;  or  one  ton  of  lip- 
thalite is  used  where  ninety-six  tons  of  coal  would 
have  been  required." 

"It  is  a  wonderful  discovery!"  exclaimed  Cobb, 
and  a  far-away,  dreamy  expression  came  into  his 
eyes.  For  an  instant  his  mind  went  back  to  the 
days,  long  years  ago,  when  he  had  spent  hours  in 
his  laboratory,  at  the  Presidio,  searching  for  this 
very  same  agent — the  storage  of  great  power  in 
small  volume — and  his  partial  success  in  the  dis- 
covery of  meteorite.  Then  his  thoughts  led  him 
to  the  remembrance  that  his  new  explosive  had 
been  sent  to  Washington.  What  had  become  of  it? 
Lost,  lost,  years  ago! 

"Do  you  comprehend  the  advance  in  science  that 
has  been  made  in  a  hundred  years?"  and  Rawolle 
broke  his  reverie  by  gently  touching  him  on  the 
arm. 

"Can  I  help  it?  Could  anyone  have  dreamed  of 
such  a  power  as  this?" 

Yes.  He  had  dreamed  of  it ;  and  many,  many 
times.  But  too  modest  to  venture  the  knowledge 
that  his  thoughts  and  work  had  been  centered  on 
such  a  grand  invention,  he  turned  to  Mr.  Loch- 
ridge,  and  abruptly  asked: 


A.    D.     2000  185 

"Is  lipthalite  turned  into  gas  by  explosion?" 

"By  no  means,"  quickly  returned  that  gentleman; 
"b}7  inflammation,  and  inflammation  alone,  and  not 
very  fast,  either.  In  our  generators,  here,  it  is  at 
the  rate  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  these 
sticks  per  hour. " 

"Strange  that  I  should  have  worked  on  this  very 
principle!  "  he  said,  half  aloud;  then  turning  to 
Lieutenant  Sibley,  he  exclaimed: 

"You  spoke  of  water  cylinders;  where  are  they?" 

"Under  the  grating,  Mr.   Cobb." 

Mr.  Lochridge  raised  the  grated  flooring,  and 
showed  three  iron  cylinders,  each  divided  into 
halves,  with  piston-rods  and  cylinder-heads.  They 
were  about  four  feet  in  diameter  by  twenty-three 
feet  long. 

"These,  gentlemen, "  he  continued,  "are  connected 
by  pipes  with  the  outside  of  the  vessel.  Water  can 
be  admitted  into  any  one  or  all  of  these  cylinders, 
and,  in  two  minutes,  driven  out  by  the  pistons. 
Should  these  pistons  fail,  from  any  cause,  to  work, 
pumps  connected  with  the  cylinders  could  perform 
the  same  duty  in  ten  minutes.  I  gave  you  the 
weights  a  few  minutes  ago;  what  did  I  make 
them?"  taking  a  piece  of  paper  and  pencil  from 
his  pocket,  and  making  a  few  notes.  "Yes;  1,940,- 
000  pounds,  or  just  thirty  tons  less  than  our  dis- 
placement. The  water  cylinders  have  a  capacity  of 
fifty  tons.  By  allowing  thirty  tons  of  water  to  en- 
ter the    cylinders,  our  weight  is    equal    to  our  dis- 


i86 


D.    2000 


placement,  and  we  sink.  Allowing  all  loss  of 
weight  aboard  ship  during  a  cruise,  and  which  never 
exceeds  twenty  tons,  we  can  always  decrease  our 
buoyancy  and  sink  to  the  bottom,  if  necessary. 
Now,  here,"  pointing  to  the  left,  and  along  the 
walls  of  the  vessel,  "are  the  dynamos  for  the  elec- 
tric lights,  fans  for  circulating  the  fresh  air,  steer- 
ing apparatus,  electric  heaters,  exhaust  pumps  for 
expelling  the  vitiated  air  and  drawing  in  the  fresh, 
and  many  other  inventions,  the  uses  of  which  you 
can  learn  at  your  leisure." 

The  engine-room  of  the  Tracer  was  indeed  a  curi- 
osity-shop to  Junius  Cobb.  Pipes  in  every  direc- 
tion; electric  wires  crossed  and  recrossed  one  an- 
other; peculiar  machines  occupied  each  side  of  the 
room,  and  a  hundred  other  things,  strange  to  him, 
were  upon  either  side.  Leaving  the  engine-room, 
Lieutenant  Sibley  led  the  way  to  the  instrument- 
room  of    the  ship.      Here  a.new  treat  awaited  Cobb. 

Situated  just  at  the  junction  of  the  main  shell 
and  the  forward  cone,  was  the  pilot's,  or  instru- 
ment, room.  In  an  easy-chair,  in  front  of  a  box 
about  two  feet  square,  and  resting  on  the  table,  sat 
Mr.  Irwin,  the  first  pilot  of  the  Tracer.  On  either 
side  of  him,  and  fastened  to  the  walls  of  the  room, 
were  a  great  number  of  delicate  instruments,  some 
of  which  were  familiar  to  Cobb.  At  either  side  of 
the  box  on  the  table  were  several  rows  of  push- 
buttons; to  the  left,  a  fine  compass,  and  to  the 
right,  speaking  tubes  and  bells. 


A.    D.    2000  187 

"You  met  Mr.  Cobb  at  breakfast,  did  you  not, 
Irwin?"  questioned  Lieutenant  Sibley,  as  the  pilot 
arose  and  greeted  the  entrance  of  the  party  with  a 
smile. 

"Yes,  I  had  that  pleasure,"  he  returned,  bowing. 
"Have  you  been  over  the  ship?"   to  Cobb. 

"We  have  taken  it  all  in,  Mr.  Irwin,"  said  Lyman, 
answering  for  the  party. 

"How  is  the  course?  and  where  are  we  now?" 
asked  the  Lieutenant. 

"It  is  now  9:35,  and  we  are  headed  northeast  by 
east.  Cairo  is  to  our  rear  ninety-five  miles.  We  are 
over  Princeton,  thirty  miles  north  of  Evansville, "  was 
the  reply. 

"You  may  make  Louisville.  What  time  will  we 
get  there?" 

Consulting  his  chart  a  moment,  Mr.  Irwin  re- 
plied : 

"Louisville  is  on  our  course  now,  and  distant  one 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  miles.  We  will  make  it 
at  14:  12." 

"Now,  Irwin,  I  wish  you  would  explain  the  mys- 
teries of  your  castle  to  Mr.  Cobb,  and  then  bring 
the  gentleman  to  my  cabin.  You  will  excuse  us  a 
few  minutes,  will  you  not,  Mr.  Cobb?  I  have  some 
official  papers  for  Mr.  Rawolle's  inspection.  Mr. 
Lyman,  will  you  come  along,  too?"  to  that  gentle- 
man. 

As  they  left  the  room,  Mr.  Irwin  turned  to  Cobb, 
and  held  a  few  minutes'  conversation  regarding  the 


l88  A.    D.     2000 

remarkable  experience  of  the  latter;  then,  rising,  he 
pointed  to  the  right  wall  and  said: 

"These  are  instruments  used  aboard  submarine 
vessels  of  to-day.  There  is  a  thermometer  for  in- 
terior temperature,  that  for  exterior  temperature ; 
here  are  electric  dials  giving  the  humidity  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  ship.  These  dials  to  the  left  show 
the  motion  of  the  fans,  dynamos,  and  all  other  mov- 
ing machinery  aboard.  The  interior  pressure  is  here 
noted,"  placing  his  hand  upon  a  barometer,  "and 
the  exterior,  there.  The  purity  of  the  air  is  indi- 
cated by  this  little  delicate  meter.  The  speed  of 
the  vessel  is  shown  on  that  reel,  which  is  connected, 
electrically,  with  the  log.  These  little  bells," 
pointing  to  twenty-four  little  bells  overhead,  "will 
quickly  give  warning  of  the  entrance  of  water  into 
any  of  the  chambers.  The  equilibrium  of  the  ship 
is  denoted  automatically  by  this  alcohol  cross  com- 
bined with  a  double  pendulum.  The  lipthalene 
pressure  is  given  here.  The  many  buttons  and 
tubes  communicate  to  all  parts  of  the  ship.  Those 
two  buttons  release  the  iron  weight  at  the  bottom 
of  the  vessel,  and  these  twelve  buttons  regulate 
the  entry  and  exit  of  the  water  in  the  six  water 
cylinders.  The  speed  is  regulated  here,  and  the 
vessel  steered  by  this  little  wheel;"  and  he  pointed 
out  the  various  instruments  as  he  mentioned  their 
uses.  Cobb  carefully  examined  every  instrument  as  it 
was  mentioned  to  him.  Turning  to  Mr.  Irwin,  he 
asked; 


A.    D.     2000  189 

"But  where  is  your  steersman — your  lookout,  I 
mean?.  Cooped  up  in  this  little  room,  you  can  see 
nothing  around  the  ship.  Even  on  deck,  especially 
in  rough  weather,  you  would  be  too  low  down  to 
have  much  of  a  view  of  your  surroundings." 

"The  explanation  is  most  simple.  Look  into  that 
box,  if  you  please,  and  let  your  head  fill  the  open- 
ing, to  darken  the  interior." 

He  smiled  as  he  noted  Cobb's  perplexed  expres- 
sion. 

Obeying  Mr.  Irwin's  request,  Cobb  fitted  his  face 
to  the  opening  and  gazed  inside  the  box.  He  saw 
the  sea  rising  and  falling  in  its  swell,  vessels  pass- 
ing in  various  directions,  the  faint  blue  outlines  of 
the  shore  to  the  northwest,  and — click,  the  scene 
changes:  now  other  vessels  in  view,  and  a  clear 
circle  of  the  horizon,  denoting  a  great  expanse  of 
water.      Again  a  clicking  sound,  and — 

"My  God!"  he  cried,  starting  back;  "a  ship!  a 
ship  is  almost  upon  us!  " 

Like  lightning,  Irwin  sprang  to  the  camera  and 
glanced  in;  then  quickly  reaching  out  his  hand,  his 
fingers  touched  a  button,  and  the  hoarse  marine 
whistle  of  the  Tracer  thundered  forth  its  warning; 
seizing  the  tiller-wheel,  he  threw  it  hard  aport,  and 
then,  without  pausing,  pressed  another  button,  and 
the  large  gongs  of  the  ship  pealed  out  their  sum- 
mons to  its  crew  that  danger  was  imminent.  Even 
as  the  alarm  sounded,  came  a  shock,  a  shiver,  a 
slight  careening  of  the  vessel,  and  as  Irwin  took  his 


19°  A.    D.    2000 

white  face  from  the  camera,  the  grateful  exclama- 
tion : 

"Thank  God!  we  are  safe!  Look!  the  monster 
passes  by!  " 

Into  the  camera  Cobb  again  peered;  the  dark, 
black  stern  of  a  large  freighter  was  passing  to  the 
southwest. 

Lieutenant  Sibley  and  the  crew  of  the  Tracer 
were  quickly  huddled  at  the  door  of  the  pilot's 
room. 

"Lieutenant,"  said  Irwin,  with  a  salute,  "I  con- 
fess that  we  have  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  be- 
ing run  down  by  a  heavy  freighter.  Explaining 
these  instruments  to  Mr.  Cobb,  I  failed  to  note  the 
approach  of  the  vessel." 

The  alarm  having  subsided,  the  subject  was  fully 
discussed,  and  Mr.  Irwin  was  exonerated  by  the 
Lieutenant.  All  parties  then  returned  to  their 
various  occupations. 

Mr.   Irwin  then  turned  to  Cobb  and  said : 

"It  was  very  negligent  of  me  not  to  carefully  sur- 
vey the  field  for  approaching  vessels.  The  Tracer 
carries  but  a  single  mast,  and  sits  so  low  in  the  wa- 
ter, that  these  many  merchant  ships,  with  their  sleepy 
crews,  often  fail  to  sight  her  until  too  late  to  make 
a  proper  clearing."  Then  returning  to  the  subject 
upon  which  they  had  been  speaking  when  Cobb's 
excited  exclamation  had  burst  forth,  he  continued: 

"I  see  that  you  have  understood  the  object  of  the 
little  dark  box  on  the  table.     It  is  a  camera-obscura. 


A.     D.    2000  igi 

The  single  mast  of  the  Tracer  is  of  aluminum, 
strong,  slight,  and  hollow,  and  rises  to  a  height 
of  twenty-eight  feet.  A  lens  at  the  top  revolves 
by  pushing  this  button;  thus  a  perfect  image  of  the 
surrounding  water  and  all  upon  it  is  thrown  on  the 
white  ground  within  the  box.  Sitting  here  and 
looking  in  the  box,  I  note  the  proximity  of  objects 
and  steer  the  vessel.  The  mast  also  serves  to 
carry  an  arc  light  for  night  traveling,  and  our  flag 
by  day.  Further,  our  air  is  drawn  down  through 
pipes  in  its  interior ;  for,  during  heavy  seas,  we  must 
have  the  air  inlets  far  above  the  deck,  which  is  con- 
stantly washed  by  the  rollers." 

Some  further  conversation  was  indulged  in,  and 
then  Cobb  thanked  Mr.  Irwin  for  his  kindness, 
excused  himself,  and  was  soon  seated,  with  Lieuten- 
ant Sibley,  in  the  latter' s  cozy  cabin. 

Lunch  having  been  disposed  of,  Rawolle,  taking 
out  his  watch,  remarked  to  Cobb:  "In  a  few  minutes 
we  will  be  directly  over  Louisville,  Kentucky;  and 
in  these  few  minutes,  I  will  briefly  explain  the 
effects  of  the  great  cataclysm  of  1916,  as  I 
promised  to  do:  The  gas  strata  of  the  Ohio 
basin,"  he  began,  "extending  from  above  Pitts- 
burgh to  the  Mississippi  River,  with  pockets  in- 
numerable and  ramifications  in  every  direction, 
contained  millions  of  millions  of  cubic  feet  of  gas 
under  varying  pressures  from  nil  to  many  atmos- 
pheres. The  catastrophe  at  Dillenback's  ignited 
the  gas  in  what  appeared  to    have    been    the    main 


192  A.    D.    2000 

strata.  Explosion  followed  explosion  throughout 
the  region  now  occupied  by  the  Central  Sea.  The 
earth  was  rent  and  broken,  and  the  great  vacuums, 
caused  by  the  annihilation  of  the  gases,  took  away 
the  support  of  the  upper  crust,  and  then  atmospheric 
pressure  completed  the  ruin.  The  earth  sank  and 
crushed  into  these  voids  until  a  new  foundation  was 
reached.  In  some  sections  the  fall  of  the  crust  was 
frightful,  terrific.  In  the  vicinity  of  Cincinnati 
but  one  shock  was  felt,  but  that  shock  was  terrible, 
horrible,  annihilating.  The  earth  sank  196  feet  at 
one  fall.  Not  a  living  soul  escaped  the  shock  of 
impact  upon  the  underlying  strata.  The  city  was 
an  inconceivable  mass  of  ruins,  and  in  two  days, 
was  covered  with  water.  So  it  was  over  a  region 
of  100,000  square  miles,  the  earth  sinking  every- 
where, but  to  different  depths  and  with  different 
rates  of  depression.  Pittsburgh  sank  377  feet,  but 
so  slowly  that  few- lives  were  lost,  though  the  de- 
struction of  property  was  very  great.  At  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio  the  earth  sank  only  one  foot,  increasing 
toward  the  east.  Millions  of  lives  were  sacrificed  and 
untold  wealth  lost,  for  the  great  depression  com- 
menced immediately  to  fill  with  the  waters  from  the 
streams  flowing  into  the  Ohio  basin,  and  from  the  un- 
derlying strata.  Even  the  Mississippi  turned  its  wa- 
ters into  the  old  mouth  of  the  Ohio  and  flowed  east, 
leaving  but  a  small,  shallow  stream  to  flow  in  its 
old  bed  until  augmented  by  the  streams  and  rivers 
emptying  into  it  below  Cairo.     Even  with  all  these 


A.    D.     2000  193 

waters  it  was  an  insignificant  river  until  it  reached 
the  Arkansas  and  received  the  mass  of  water  from 
that  river.  But  in  1918  the  river  was  diverted  back 
to  its  proper  channel ;  though  later  on  the  dam  was 
removed,  owing  to  the  rise  in  the  Central  Sea,  and 
the  natural  outlet  being  at  Cairo.  This,  in  brief, 
Mr.  Cobb,  is  the  effect  of  a  single  accident  in  a  gun 
factory,  in  1916;  though  who  can  tell  but  that  it 
might  have  occurred  later  on  from  some  other 
cause?" 

"But  did  not  those  who  were  not  injured  by  the 
shocks  and  falling  buildings  have  time  to  move 
their  effects  before  the  waters  overtook  them?  for, 
surely,  this  immense  sea  did  not  fill  up  in  a  few 
days,"  ventured  Cobb. 

"Along  the  Ohio,  from  this  side  of  Louisville  to 
above  Cincinnati,  scarcely  any  property  was  saved. 
The  depression  was  such  that  the  submergence  came 
very  quickly.  But  this  was  not  the  case  in  the 
surrounding  country.  In  one  week  the  shocks  were 
over  and  the  earth  quiet.  People  recovered  from 
their  fears  a  little,  and  looked  about  them.  Later 
on  they  commenced  to  rebuild,  and  it  was  not  until 
a  year  after  that  they  found  a  new  foe  against  which 
they  could  not  combat:  the  country  was  below  the 
level  of  any  outlet,  natural  or  artificial,  and  was 
filling  up  into  an  inland  sea.  Surveys  were  made, 
and  in  1918  the  true  condition  of  the  country  as- 
certained. Then,  and  only  then,  was  it  found  that 
the  region  now  covered  by  the  Central  Sea  was  des- 
A.  D.  2000     1  j 


194  A-   D-  200° 

tined  to  be  lost  to  mankind.  Human  ingenuity 
could  not  solve  the  problem  of  drainage.  There 
was  no  drainage.  Far  below  the  bed  of  the  Miss- 
issippi, the  only  possible  outlet,  the  country  was 
doomed  to  inundation.  The  survey  was  completed 
and  the  true  limits  established.  All  within  that  area 
began  to  be  abandoned.  Property,  wherever  possi- 
ble, was  removed;  but  the  buildings,  at  least  those 
which  could  not  be  taken  apart  and  moved,  still  re- 
main under  the  sea  as  monuments  of  a  once  densely 
populated  area.  To  be  sure,  the  removal  was  not 
rapid.  The  exact  time  was  known,  from  the  surveys 
made,  when  the  waters  would  gain  their  maximum 
height,  or  reach  to  any  particular  point." 

"Such  an  immense  basin  must  have  required  a  con- 
siderable time  to  fill  up?"   inquired  Cobb. 

"It  did — years.  It  was  a  gala  day  at  Cairo,  and 
a  day  of  rejoicing  throughout  the  land,  when,  on 
the  14th  of  August,  1939,  the  Central  Sea  reached 
the  dam  at  that  city,  and  passed  over  in  a  gently  in- 
creasing stream.  The  dam  was  removed,  the  chan- 
nel opened,  and  navigation  from  the  ocean  to  this 
immense  body  of  water,  through  the  mouth  of  the 
old  Ohio  River,  was  unobstructed." 

"Why,"  exclaimed  Cobb,  in  astonishment,  "that 
was  twenty-three  years  after  the  disturbances!  It 
took  longer  to  fill  up  than  I  had  imagined." 

"The  area  lost,"  continued  Rawolle,  "was  about 
one  hundred  thousand  square  miles;  the  volume 
nearly  one  hundred    and    seventy-five  trillion  cubic 


A.     D.    2000  195 

feet.  The  water-shed  of  the  Ohio  produced  ten 
billion  cubic  feet  per  day,  all  of  which  flowed 
into  the  Central  Sea.  The  first  two  years  the  Miss- 
issippi discharged  a  like  amount  into  the  sunken 
area.  It  was  estimated  that  over  ninety  trillion  cu- 
bic feet  of  water  were  pushed  up,  so  to  speak,  from 
the  strata  of  the  earth  by  the  subsidence  of  the  upper 
crust.  Thus,  one  hundred  trillion  cubic  feet  of  water 
rushed  into  the  doomed  basin  of  the  Ohio  in  the 
first  two  years,  making  inundation  very  rapid  during 
that  time,  and  frightfully  rapid  during  the  first 
week.  The  Ohio  water-shed  supplied  nearly  four 
trillion  cubic  feet  per  year,  which,  to  complete  the 
seventy-five  trillion  necessary  to  fill  the  sea,  took 
twenty-one  3/ears. " 

"This  is  a  most  wonderful  occurrence,  and  did  I  not 
have  ocular  proof  of  its  reality,  I  admit  I  should  be 
loath  to  believe  it  a  possibility;  "  and  Cobb  seemed 
lost  in  a  reverie  of  the  marvelous  events  which  had 
transpired  during  his  long  sleep  on    Mt.   Olympus. 

The  tinkling  of  a  bell  caused  Lieutenant  Sibley, 
who  had  been  writing  at  his  desk,  to  look  up  and 
say: 

"I  presume  we  are  near  Louisville." 

Then,  going  to  the  tube,  he  answered  Mr.  Irwin, 
in  the  pilot-room,  and  was  informed  that  the  ves- 
sel was  then  over  the  city  of  Louisville. 

The  Tracer  was  soon  brought  to  a  rest,  and  Cobb 
witnessed  the  peculiar  arrangements  made  for 
descending  to  the  bottom  of   the    sea.      He  watched 


ig6  A.    D.   2000 

every  movement  and  noted  every  detail,  and  saw 
with  what  wonderful  facility  a  thousand-ton  ship 
could  be  made  to  obey  a  man's  will. 

The  mast  of  the  Tracer  was  dropped  until  its  top 
rested  upon  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  its  top  closing 
automatically  to  prevent  the  ingress  of  water.  A 
large  circular  float  containing  air-valves,  and  at- 
tached to  a  long  hose,  was  loosened  from  its  fast- 
enings on  the  deck.  The  water  cylinders  were 
opened,  and  as  they  partially  filled,  the  vessel  lost 
its  superiority  of  displacement  and  began  to  sink; 
the  large  float,  with  its  air-valves,  and  attached  to 
the  hose,  remained  upon  the  top  of  the  water,  per- 
mitting air  to  be  drawn  down  into  the  vessel  by  suc- 
tion. Thus  a  constant  supply  of  fresh  air  was  ob- 
tained without  recourse  to  the  compressed  air  in 
store.  In  fact,  the  latter  was  never  used  except  in 
emergencies  or  when  it  was  desired,  as  in  the  case 
of  war,  to  keep  the  approach  of  the  vessel  a  secret. 

The  sensation  of  falling  was  apparent,  but  it  was 
indescribably  peculiar;  neither  pleasing,  nor  yet 
distasteful — such  a  feeling  as  when,  in  his  boyhood 
days,  he  had  sat  upon  the  board  of  a  swing  and  let 
the  "old  cat  die." 

Passing  with  Lieutenant  Sibley  and  the  others 
into  the  pilot's  room,  he  saw  the  ease  with  which 
the  descent  was  regulated,  and  noted  the  instru- 
ment showing  the  depth  of  submersion. 

Mr.  Irwin  pressed  a  button,  and  Cobb  felt  the 
tremor  of  a  forward  movement.     The  displacement 


A.     D.    2000  197 

being  but  a  trifle  less  than  the  weight  of  the  ves- 
sel, the  movements  of  the  ship  were  now  regulated 
by  its  engines  and  double  rudders. 

Stepping  to  the  side  of  the  room,  the  Lieutenant 
threw  open  the  steel  covering  of  a  bull's-eye,  and 
then  pressed  the  button  near  it.  A  brilliant  flash 
shot  out,  and  the  rays  penetrated  the  water  for  a 
considerable  distance  in  every  direction. 

"There!  "  cried  Lieutenant  Sibley,  with  an  in- 
voluntary wave  of  his  hand.  "Behold  the  city  of  the 
dead,  Louisville! — Louisville,  once  such  a  grand 
city,  now  a  silent,  slime-covered,  submerged  tes- 
timony of  nature's  conquering  power  over  man's 
puny  will. " 

Cobb  pressed  his  face  against  the  glass  and  silent- 
ly gazed  upon  the  lifeless  buildings  and  streets  of 
the  city.  Even  as  they  stood  years  ago,  so  stood 
many  at  that  moment.  Others  were  in  ruins,  with 
gaping  walls  and  broken  doors  and  windows,  and 
all  were  covered  with  mud  and  slime  and  marine 
vegetation. 

The  streets  were  half-way  up  to  the  second  sto- 
ries, but  the  tops  of  the  street-lamps  could  be  dis- 
cerned sticking  out  of  the  muddy  sediment  which 
had  been  deposited  over  everything. 

Slowly  the  Tracer  moved  forward,  and  the  whole 
expanse  of  the  southeast  side  of  this  unfortunate, 
but  once  brilliant,  city  was  presented  to  view. 

What  emotions  filled  that  man's  breast,  with  his 
eyes  glued,  as  if  fascinated  by  some  unknown  power, 


igS  A.    D.    2000 

upon  the  spot  he  had,  in  years  long  since  past,  vis- 
ited, looked  upon,  and  walked  in  !  With  a  sickening 
feeling  of  utter  sadness  at  his  heart,  he  turned 
away. 

"God's  ways  are  inscrutable,"  he  sighed.  A  tear 
glistened  in  his  eye  as  he  cried:  "No  more!  Let 
us  ascend!  " 

At  24  dial  the  Tracer  was  at  her  moorings  in 
Pittsburgh,  and  Cobb,  Rawolle,  and  Lyman  took  the 
Chicago  Pneumatic  for  Washington. 

As  he  lay  in  his  berth  in  the  sleeper,  his  mind 
reverted  back  to  the  days  when  he  had  met  his 
friends  in  social  evenings  of  pleasure;  to  his  old 
friend  in  Duke's  Lane,  and  to  the  bright,  lovely 
face  of  that  man's  daughter.  Ah!  how  he  longed 
for  but  an  hour  with  them — an  hour  of  true  friend- 
ship and  love;  how  he  craved  to  listen  to  but  a 
moment's  innocent  prattle  of  his  girl-love.  Alone 
among  strangers,  among  a  people  far  ahead  of  his 
time,  he  felt  that  he  was  looked  upon  as  a  curios- 
ity, but  not  as  one  claiming  sympathy  and  love  as  a 
relative  or  dear  friend.  Did  the  experiment  come 
up  to  the  ideal?  Was  he  satisfied  to  die  and  live 
again?  He  asked  these  questions  of  himself.  He 
meditated — reflected — and  slept. 


CHAPTER  XI 

It  was  1:25  dial  when  the  Chicago  Pneumatic 
glided  noiselessly  into  the  switching  section  at 
Washington.  Seizing  their  grips  and  coats,  the 
party  moved  out  on  to  the  platform  of  the  sleeper. 
In  a  moment  the  huge  train  had  been  raised  by  the 
hydraulic  lift,  and  was  soon  standing  in  the  depot 
of  the  capital  of  the  United  States.    • 

What  a  beautiful  and  fairy-like  scene  presented 
itself  to  Junius  Cobb!  A  depot  of  magnificent 
proportions,  exquisite  workmanship  and  finish,  and 
possessing  a  hundred  conveniences  never  dreamed  of 
in  his  time.  The  great  vaulted  roof  was  set  with 
thousands  of  electric  lights  which  appeared  like 
brilliant  stairs  in  the  firmament.  Thousands  more, 
in  every  direction  and  in  every  conceivable  place, 
made  the  vast  chamber  as  bright  as  the  midday  sun. 

At  the  barriers  of  the  discharging  section  a  great 
but  orderly  crowd  was  pushing  and  elbowing  its 
way  to  a  closer  position  at  the  gate.  All  Washing- 
ton knew  that  Junius  Cobb,  the  man  of  two  centu- 
ries ago,  would  arrive  on  that  particular  train,  and 
a  great  multitude  had  congregated  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  him. 

As  he  passed  through  the  gates,  while  the  police 
199 


200  A.    D.    2000 

pushed  back  the  crowd,  he  heard  their  exclamations 
and  remarks: 

"There  he  is!" 

"Where?" 

"There,  with  Commissioner  Rawolle — on  his 
left." 

"I  believe  him  to  be  a  fake." 

"Oh,  he's  a  toola!  " 

"He  has  never  slept  a  hundred  years!  " 

"Isn't  he  a  young  man  to   have  lived  so    long?" 

"What's  the  matter  with  you?  he  didn't  live,  he 
just  slept. " 

"They  say  he  is  an  officer  in  the  army  yet." 

"Well,  people  will  be  gulled!" 

Thus  were  the  expressions  bandied  about,  and 
fell  upon  the  ears  of  Cobb  in  a  harsh  and  unpleas- 
ant manner.  He  was  not  flattered  by  the  remarks 
he  heard.  Already,  it  seemed,  there  was  a  desire  to 
doubt  his  identity. 

As  they  neared  the  center  of  the  hall,  someone  in 
the  crowd  cried:  "Junius  Cobb!  Junius  Cobb! 
Three  cheers  for  Junius  Cobb!  "  And  the  building 
rang  and  echoed  back  the  salutation.  Surely  this 
was  flattering.  His  reception,  after  all,  was  not 
without  sincerity  on  the  part  of  many  of  that  vast 
throng. 

A  step  or  two  more,  and  Cobb  and  Rawolle  en- 
tered an  electric  drag,  while  Lyman  bade  them 
good-night,  or  rather  good-morning,  and  hurried 
away  to  report. 


A.    D.    2000  201 

Away,  and  at  a  rapid  gait,  sped  the  drag,  its 
wheels  of  rubber  giving  no  sound  on  the  elastic 
pavement  of  the  street,  its  headlight  flashing  out 
a  brilliant  beam,  while  ever  and  anon  the  driver 
caused  a  muffled-toned  gong,  whose  sound  was  low 
and  musical,  to  indicate  the  approach  of  the  carriage. 

Looking  from  the  window  on  his  side,  Cobb  saw 
to  what  extent  street  illumination  had  progressed 
in  a  hundred  years.  At  every  fifty  feet,  on  either 
side,  were  arc  lamps;  and  this  at  two  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  those  of  the  shops  were  extinguished. 
No  gas  lights  were  visible.  It  was  a  September 
morning,  but  the  air  was  mild  and  balmy,  and  it 
seemed  like  a  morning  in  early  spring.  Many  peo- 
ple were  upon  the  street,  and  the  electric  drags, 
with  their  flashing  lights  and  musical  gongs,  were 
passing  in  every  direction. 

At  exactly  i  142  dial  the  drag  stopped  under  the 
arch  of  the  entrance  to  the  President's  mansion,  and 
Junius  Cobb  was  received  by  the  chief  magistrate 
of  the  United  States. 

Emory  D.  Craft,  President  of  the  United  States, 
was  a  tall,  rotund,  and  pleasant  gentleman  of  over 
sixty  years  of  age.  His  head  was  massive,  and  his 
features  square  and  clean-cut ;  his  hair  almost  white, 
and  a  beard  heavy  and  gray.  A  man  of  great  per- 
ception, executive  ability,  true  kindness,  and  wis- 
dom, he  ruled  the  greatest  nation  on  earth  as  a 
loving  father  rules  his  household,  with  justice  and 
firmness. 


2.0  2  A.     D.    2000 

As  Rawolle  and  Cobb  alighted,  he  descended  the 
steps,  and,  advancing,  extended  his  hand  to  the 
former,  exclaiming: 

"I  welcome  you  back,  Mr.    Rawolle." 

"Thank  you,  sir;  and  let  me  present  Mr.  Junius 
Cobb." 

"Mr.  Cobb,  1  cannot  express  to  you  the  pleasure 
of  this  meeting;  "  and  the  President  shook  the  young 
man's  hand  heartily.  "Be  assured  that  your  re- 
markable, nay,  wonderful,  case  has  been  uppermost 
in  my  mind  since  first  I  became  aware  of  your  exist- 
ence. " 

"Nor  can  I,  Mr.  President,  express  the  gratifica- 
tion I  feel  in  meeting  and  shaking  the  hand  of  the 
chief  magistrate  of  this  great  nation,  especially 
when  that  magistrate  is  ruling  the  country  a  hundred 
and  forty  years  after  my  birth. " 

Cobb  seemed  proud  of  the  fact  that  he,  of  all  the 
world,  could  make  such  a  statement. 

A  few  moments  later,  the  President  and  Cobb 
were  sitting  before  a  glowing,  cheerful  fire,  engaged 
in  earnest  conversation. 

Mr.  Rawolle  had  been  dismissed  by  the  Presi- 
dent, and  had  hastened  to  the  welcome  he  knew 
awaited  him  from  his  wife  and  children. 

"There,  Mr.  President,"  said  Cobb,  after  a  long 
recital  of  his  life  and  the  facts  attending  his  en- 
tombment on  Mt.  Olympus,  "you  have  the  whole 
story.      It  is  a  remarkable  one,  is  it  not?" 

"Stranger  than  any  fiction    I    ever    read,"   he  ex- 


A.     D.    2000  203 

claimed.  "I  can  scarcely  believe  that  I  behold  the 
intimate  friend  and  contemporary  of  my  great- 
grandfather in  the  person  of  one  so  young  as   you. " 

He  looked  at  Cobb  in  wonder  and  awe. 

"And  are  you  the  great-grandson  of  Hugh  Craft, 
my  dear  old  friend  of  1887?"  cried  Cobb  with  joy, 
as  if  a  new  tie  had  been  found  to  bind  him  to  this 
new  world. 

"Yes;  here  is  our  family  history."  He  arose  and 
went  to  the  cabinet,  and  returned  with  a  large  book. 
"Read  it;  "  opening  it  and  handing  it  to  the  other; 
"you  will  there  see  the  history  of  your  friend."  He 
placed  his  finger  on  the  page. 

Cobb  read  slowly,  and  like  one  in  a  dream,  this 
page  of  the  history  of  the  dead — this  chronicle  of 
the  life  of  his  chum  and  bosom  friend. 

"First  Lieutenant,  Captain,  Major,"  he  read, 
"killed  at  the  battle  of  Ottawa,  August  5,   1917. " 

He  read  it  over  twice;  then  suddenly  turning  to 
the  President,  he  cried: 

"A  soldier's  death!  A  noble  ending  to  a  noble 
man!      But  what  battle  is  this  in  which  he  died?" 

"'Tis  a  long  story — too  long  for  to-night,"  the 
President  replied;  "but,  in  brief,  it  was  the  decisive 
termination  of  English  power  in  North  America. 
Canada  desired  annexation  to  the  United  States; 
England  opposed  it.  British  troops  were  massed 
on  Canadian  soil,  and  she  endeavored  to  prevent  the 
loss  of  her  colonies.  War  between  the  Canadians 
and  the  mother  country  followed.     We  looked   on, 


204  A.    D.    2000 

but  offered  no  assistance.  It  was  not  until  the  cry 
for  freedom  became  a  wail  of  misery  and  a  piteous 
appeal  for  succor,  that  we  interfered.  We  offered 
England  $500,000,000  for  the  whole  of  her  posses- 
sions in  North  America.  The  offer  was  refused 
with  contempt.  Indignation  prevailed  throughout 
the  United  States,  and  public  opinion  demanded 
that  assistance  be  given  to  the  suffering  people  in 
their  struggle  for  freedom.  Great  Britain  was  noti- 
fied by  joint  resolution  of  Congress  of  March  22, 
1917,  to  evacuate  Canada  and  all  territory  between 
the  boundaries  of  the  United  States  and  parallel 
fifty-one  degrees  of  north  latitude.  The  demand 
was  refused;  and  on  April  2,  in  full  Congress,  war 
was  declared  against  England.  For  twenty-five 
years,  or  from  about  1890,  this  country  had  been 
building  first-class  ships  of  war,  fortifying  its  coast 
and  putting  the  nation  in  a  condition  to  enforce 
its  demands. " 

"They  hadn't  done  much  in  my  time,"  broke  in 
Cobb,  with  a  thought  of  the  utterly  defenseless  con- 
dition of  the  country  in  1887. 

"No, "  continued  the  President;  "but  Congress,  as 
you  can  see  by  referring  to  history,  in  1890  awoke 
to  the  necessity  of  national  protection.  In  1917, 
we  could  and  did  enforce  our  demand.  The  war 
was  short  but  terrible.  England's  great  but  slow 
floating  fortresses  were  no  match  for  our  harbor 
vessels.  She  never  gained  entrance  to  a  single 
port  of  note,  but     lost  many  of  her  finest    ships  in 


A.    D.    2000  20c 


the  attempt.  On  land,  of  course,  the  effect  of  our 
arms  was  more  rapid.  An  army  marched  across 
the  border,  and  the  decisive  battle  of  Ottawa  was 
fought.  Here  was  gathered  all  of  England's  force 
of  occupation.  On  August  5,  1917,  her  army  was 
utterly  routed,  and  laid  down  its  arms.  With  the 
loss  of  her  American  army,  and  the  destruction  of 
many  of  her  finest  iron-clads,  England  asked  for 
terms.  By  the  protocol  of  October  16th,  England, 
in  consideration  of  $250,000,000,  relinquished,  for- 
ever, all  possessions  on  the  continent  of  North  Amer- 
ica, together  with  all  national  property,  fortifica- 
tions, etc.  " 

"And  poor  Craft  never  lived  to  see  the  fruits  of 
his  nation's  courage,"  said  Cobb. 

"No;  he  died  in  the  charge  of  his  regiment." 
And  then,  after  a  pause:  "But  Hugh  Craft  still 
lives.  I  will  introduce  him  to  you  to-morrow— do 
not  ask  any  questions,"  as  Cobb  was  about  to  inter- 
rupt him— "to-morrow,  or  rather  to-day;  and  until 
then,  you  must  sleep. " 

It  was  4  dial  when  Cobb  was  shown  to  his  apart- 
ments. 

The  next  morning  Cobb  was  awakened  from  a 
refreshing  slumber  by  a  voice  singing: 

"He  sleeps;  he  wakes;  the  hour  is  late. 
Arise,  get  up!  the  clock  strikes  eight." 

Springing  quickly  from  his  bed,  he  glanced 
around  the  room.  Again  the  song  and  words,  and 
again    he    looked,    but    saw    no    one.     Wondering 


206  A.     D.     2000 

much  at  the  occurrence,  he  proceeded  with  his  toi- 
let. 

At  8:45  he  was  with  the  President  at  breakfast, 
and  had  been  introduced  to  Mrs.  Craft  and  her 
lovely  daughter,  Mollie. 

"Papa  says  he  has  taken  complete  possession  of 
you,  Mr.  Cobb;  and  I  am  so  glad,  for  I  want  you 
to  tell  me  so  much  about  those  queer  old  days  so 
long  ago;"  and  she  gave  him  a  pleasant  smile. 

"We  are  delighted,  dear  Mr.  Cobb,  to  have  you 
with  us.  You  must  consider  this  your  home  now, 
for  you  have  no  other,  you  know;  "  and  good  Mrs. 
Craft  spoke  in  a  motherly  tone  of  voice. 

"And,  of  course,  you  will  want  a  sister;"  Mollie 
Craft  cast  her  eyes  down  in  a  shy  manner. 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Craft,  with  evident  pleasure  and 
hope  in  his  voice.  "We  want  you  to  feel  that  you 
have  not  left  all  your  friends  in  that  distant  age. 
We  desire  you  to  consider  this  your  home  as  long  as 
it  shall  please  you  to  do  so.  My  wife  and  I  will 
endeavor  to  be  a  mother  and  a  father  to  you;  our 
daughter,  a  sister;   our  son,  a  brother." 

Mollie  Craft  was  a  lovely  girl  of  nineteen  years — 
tall,  dark,  and  robust.  She  was  possessed  of  a  clear 
skin,  sparkling  eyes,  and  beautiful  teeth.  She  was  ac- 
complished, and  a  leader  among  the  young  ladies  of 
her  set.  Her  disposition  was  frank,  kind,  and  re- 
tiring. No  wonder  that  Cobb's  eyes  often  wan- 
dered in  her  direction  during  that  breakfast!  It 
seemed    to    him    that    he  had  never  before  seen  so 


A.    D.     2000  207 

lovely  a  face  and  figure,  nor  such  charming  ways  as 
Mollie*  Craft  was  mistress  of.  Yes,  there  was  one 
face  that  held  just  comparison  with  that  before 
him;  there  was  one  figure  that  matched  the  sym- 
metry of  Mollie  Craft;  but,  alas!  she  was  no  more! 
The  queen  was  dead,  but  the  princess  lived!  So 
passed  the  thoughts  in  his  mind. 

Adjourning  to  the  President's  library,  for  Mr.  Craft 
loved  to  have  his  family  about  him  while  he 
smoked  his  after-breakfast  cigar,  the  conversation 
proceeded  with  animation,  but  always  with  Cobb 
as  the  central  figure. 

"A  Captain  in  the  army,  a  Colonel  up  a  tree; 
Quite  soon  I'll  be  a  Major,  as  you  can  plainly  see." 

As  the  words  came  forth  in  a  free  though  quiet 
manner,  a  young  man  entered  the  door,  stopped,  and 
then,  bowing,  exclaimed: 

"Pardon  me;  I  did  not  know  that  you  had  com- 
pany." 

Junius  Cobb  looked  up;  then,  starting  from  his 
seat  with  a  white  and  perplexed  expression,  sprang 
toward  the  stranger,  who,  in  astonishment,  drew 
half  back  through  the  door. 

"Hugh  Craft!     How  came  you  here?" 

Recovering  himself,  the  man  replied,  but  with 
embarrassment: 

"Well!  that's  very  good,  indeed!  Asking  a  man 
what  he  is  doing  in  his  own  father's  house!"  and 
he  gave  a  quiet,  undecided  laugh. 

"Mr.   Cobb,  my  son.      Hugh,    this  is    Mr.   Junius 


208  A.    D.    2000 

Cobb;  you  know  who  he  is,"  with  emphasis  on  the 
pronoun. 

Junius  Cobb  rubbed  his  eyes  in  confusion.  He 
comprehended  the  situation  at  once,  and  also  re- 
membered the  President's  words  of  the  night  be- 
fore, when  he  said,    "Hugh  Craft  still  lives." 

Hugh  Craft  bowed,  and  moved  behind  his  sister's 
chair,  and  whispered: 

"Is  he  dangerous?" 

Cobb,  as  he  turned  around,  overheard  the  words, 
and  smiled. 

"No,  Hugh,"  he  exclaimed;  "not  dangerous,  but 
amazed.  You  are  the  exact  image  and  counterpart 
of  him  who  was  my  dearest  and  best  friend,  your — " 
he  hesitated  a  moment — "your  great-great-grand- 
father." 

Hugh  and  Mollie  looked  bewildered,  while  Mr. 
Craft's  face  wore  a  smile.  The  situation  was  too 
comical,  and  all  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh,  Cobb 
joining  the  others. 

"It  is  funny,  is  it  not,  to  hear  me  talking  of  hav- 
ing been  the  friend  and  chum  of  this  man's  great- 
great-grandfather?" 

A  few  moments  and  everything  had  been  fully 
explained  to  Hugh,  who  had  been  absent  a  week, 
and  had  not  heard  that  Cobb  was  at  the  executive 
mansion. 

"Dear  brother,"  said  Mollie,  as  she  put  her  arms 
about  the  young  man's  neck  and  kissed  him,  "I 
want  you    and    Mr.   Cobb  to    be  brothers;   to  be  to 


A.    D.    2000  209 

each  other  as  your  great-great-grandfather  and  he 
were  long  years  ago. " 

"Hugh,"  said  his  father,  "as  you  have  returned  so 
opportunely,  you  can  take  charge  of  Mr.  Cobb — 
Junius,  let  us  call  him,  if  he  does  not  object — un- 
til time  for  the  reception.  I  have  some  work  to 
attend  to,  and  I  know  Junius  will  excuse  me — will 
you  not?"   to  him. 

"Certainly.  Do  not  let  my  presence  interfere  with 
your  work;  and  let  me  thank  you  for  calling  me 
Junius.      I  hope  you  will  always  continue  to  do  so." 

For  an  hour  these  three — Hugh,  Junius,  and  Mol- 
lie — sat  and  chatted.  To  Cobb  it  seemed  very 
home-like  and  most  pleasant,  and  his  companions 
so  kind  and  natural.  Hugh  was  so  like  that  other 
Hugh,  and  Mollie  so  charming  and  witty,  that  he 
scarcely  realized,  as  Hugh  looked  at  his  watch  and 
said  that  they  had  better  dress,  that  an  hour  had 
passed  away. 

On  their  way  to  their  rooms,  Cobb  suddenly 
said: 

"By  the  bye,  Hugh,  I  wish  to  ask  you  a  question. 
This  morning,  as  I  was  about  to  arise,  I  heard  some- 
one singing  in  my  room.  It  was  not  a  very  melodi- 
ous voice,  but  nevertheless  clear  and  distinct; 
something  like  'Get  up,  arise;  the  hour  is  late! ' 
Can  you  explain  it?" 

"Nothing  easier.  It  was  my  old  phonograph 
clock — one  I  picked  up  at  a  pawn-shop  one  day — a 
relic  of  fifty  years  back;"  and  he  laughed  at  the 
A.  D.  2000     14 


2IO  A.    D.    2000 

thought  of  his  friend's  perplexity  at  hearing  the 
words  ground  out  of  the  machine. 

"Why  did  I  not  think  of  that?"  petulantly. 
"Why,  they  were  just  getting  them  out  in  1887. 
Do  you  not  have  them  now?" 

"No;  we  have  something  better.  The  electric 
clock  companies  of  every  city  run  their  wires  to 
nearly  every  house  in  their  towns,  and  to  these 
wires  are  attached  electric  clocks.  The  resident 
buys  the  clock  for  five  dollars, and  pays  twenty-five 
cents  a  month  for  its  use.  At  the  central  station,  a 
large  clock  of  the  finest  make,  and  absolutely  cor- 
rect in  its  time,  causes  all  the  others  to  follow  its 
movements.  Thus  every  house  has  a  dial  which 
records  correctly  and  requires  no  care.  It  is  simple, 
cheap,  and  beneficial." 

At  the  President's  reception,  at  11  dial,  Junius 
Cobb  was  the  lion  of  the  hour.  Senators  gave  him 
every  attention;  the  foreign  ambassadors  treated 
him  as  a  man  of  the  greatest  distinction;  the 
army  and  navy  laughed,  chatted,  and    petted   him. 

Just  after  the  introductions  of  the  Senators,  Tsu- 
nan-li,  the  Minister  from  China,  and  dean  of  the 
diplomatic  corps,  approached  and  bowed  low  to 
the  President;  the  latter,  also,  bowing  low,  in  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  salutation,  said: 

"O  Solal  obik!  Dalolsos  obe  nuikon  mani  yunik  olse 
kela  sava  milagik  de  deil  penunols,  fuliko,  nen  dot.  "  * 


*  "My  Lord:  Permit  me,  if  you  please,  to  present  to  you  the 
young  man  of  whose  wonderful  rescue  from  death  you  have  been 
fully  informed,  no  doubt." 


A.     D.    2000  2IJ 


As  the  President  made  the  introduction,  Cobb 
gave  a  slight  start  at  hearing  him  speak  in  Vola- 
puk;  then  a  smile  of  pleasure  came  over  his 
face. 

Bowing  to  the  young  man,  the  Minister  expressed 
his  pleasure  at  the  meeting  by  saying: 

"O  Sol  obik  I6fik!  Panunob  das  pebinols  bevu 
pedeilolsis  balmil  joltum  jolsevel,  kaleda  olsik.  In 
ols  logob  oni,  kel  pegonom  fa  Confucius  e  Buddha 
god,  in  dat  padalolsdenu  geton  luti  lifa.  Ogivols 
stimi  obe  fa  visitol  obi  ven  plidos-la  olsi  komon."* 
Seeing  the  President  about  to  translate  the  words 
of  Tsu-nan-li,  Cobb  quickly  interrupted  him,  and 
smiling  at  his  ability  to  meet  at  least  one  of  the 
requirements  of  this  new  age,  said: 

"O  Sol  President,  ed  ols,  Solal  obik!  No  stunol- 
sos  lilon  obi  gepiikon  in  piik  egebols.  Lesevob  as 
jen  lefulnik,  ut  kel  pabiisagos  ayelos  lemodik,  das 
tim  akomomov  ven  valik  nets  kulik  acalomsov  vol- 
apiiki.  Klodol  das  et  del  no  abinom  fago,  astudob 
at  puk,  ed    adelo  logob  bizugi  osa. "  f 

An  expression    of    astonishment    overspread    the 

delSce^S^f  I  am  \nfTed  lThat  y0U  have  been  ai°°ng  the 
dead  since  1887  of  your  calendar.     I  see  in  you    one    who  has   been 

favored  by  Confucius  and  the  god  Buddha,  in  that  you  are  ner 
mn  ed  again  to  receive  the  air  of  life.  You  will  do  me  a7bo£>rW 
v.Mtmg  me  when  it  may  please  you  to  come."  y 

J  "Mr.  President  and  you,  my  Lord:  Do  not  be  astonished  to 
hear  me  reply  m  the  language  you  have  employed.  I  recojSze  as  an 
accomplished  fact  that  which  was  prognosticated  a  great  Xv  years 
ago    that  the  time  would  come  when  all  civilized  nafions     3™ 

Sudied  thTl  laDgUage^  BeHevin§  that  that  day  ««■  «»«  far  off  I 
studied  this  language,  and  to  day  see  the  advantage  of  it  " 


212  A.    D.    2000 

faces  of  the  other  two  gentlemen,  and  the  President 
exclaimed,  gleefully: 

"Good  enough,  Cobb!  There's  one  thing  of  the 
past  equal  to  the  present." 

The  others  claiming  attention,  no  more  was  said, 
and  the  throng  of  visitors  met,  were  introduced  to 
and  passed  the  President  and  Junius  Cobb. 

A  little  later  a  party  of  officers  were  talking  to 
Cobb  near  the  grand  stairway.  Speculation  was  rife 
as  to  what  his  position  in  the  army  would  be,  know- 
ing that  he  had  been  dropped  for  desertion  years  ago. 
The  discussion  was  animated,  though  Cobb  himself 
took  no  active  part  in  it. 

"Ah!  Cobb,  my  boy,"  and  a  tall  young  man,  in  the 
full  regimentals  of  a  captain  in  the  Second  Cavalry 
—  Cobb's  old  regiment — came  forward  and  famil- 
iarly slapped  him  on  the  shoulder: 

"I  have  been  looking  for  you.  Hugh  informs  me 
that  you  will  undoubtedly  be  restored  to  your  rank 
in  the  army;  in  fact,  he  says  that  they  can't  help 
giving  you  your  commission  again." 

"Ah!"  from  Cobb,  as  he  looked  the  other  in  the 
face. 

"Yes,"  smiling.  "And  you  will  be  my  lieutenant, 
for  I  command  your  old  troop  of  the  Second.  You 
will  be  a  bod  seledik  (rare  bird)  to  us  in  the  Sec- 
ond, and,  as  I  am  ordered  to  join  my  regiment  on 
the  ioth  of  next  month,  I  intend  applying  to  have 
you    ordered  back  with  me." 

Several  smiled  at  the  young  captain's    cool  impu 


A.    D.     2000  213 

dence,  but  Cobb  simply  bowed  in  recognition  of  the 
other's  desire  for  his  company  to  his  regiment.   ■ 

Captain  Hathaway,  of  the  Second  Cavalry,  wa9 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  tall  in  stature,  slight  in 
build,  and  wearing  a  little,  light  mustache.  With  a 
glass  in  his  eye,  and  a  voice  which  sounded  low  and 
sweet,  he  was,  with  all  his  known  cool  impudence, 
a  right  clever  fellow.  But  he  had  taken  a  dislike 
to  Junius  Cobb — and  why? 

"Yes,  Mr.  Cobb,"  taking  up  the  army  style  of  ad- 
dress to  lieutenants,  "I  fear  you  will  have  to  give 
up  your  good  times  here  and  join  me.  Of  course 
they  cannot  refuse  my  request,"  with  a  new  adjust- 
ment of  his  eyeglass. 

"Mr.    Hathaway — " 

"Captain,  sir;  Captain  Hathaway.  You  forget 
you  are  addressing  your  troop  commander;"  with 
dignity. 

A  flush  overspread  Cobb's  face,  and  he  bit  his  lip 
to  keep  from  replying  in  hot  terms  to  this  uncalled- 
for  insolence. 

"Captain  Hathaway,  you  will  join  your  regiment 
before  the  10th,  and  I  will  not  be  with  you.  Good 
morning."  He  turned  on  his  heel  and  moved  toward 
a  group  near  the  President. 

With  a  laugh  at  the  blank  and  crushed  expres- 
sion of  the  young  Captain,  the  others  sauntered 
away. 

"Damme!  but  that's  cool.  Going  to  order  his 
Captain  to  his  regiment,   eh!      Going  to  get  me  out 


214  v-    ' '    ^f^00 

of  the  way  and  take  my  girl.  Well,  I  guess  not!" 
and  he,  too,  moved  off. 

At  lunch,  after  the  reception  and  departure  of  the 
guests,  Cobb  laughingly  referred  to  the  little  inci- 
dent of  the  morning.  The  President  expressed  his 
disapprobation  of  the  Captain's  behavior,  and  told 
Cobb  that  he  would  give  the  young  man  a  lesson 
in  politeness. 

According  to  their  programme,  the  office  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  was  visited  at  13:30  dial,  and  Cobb 
was  introduced  to  Mr.  Fowler,  the  urbane  but  quick- 
spoken  Secretary.  Here  he  learned  much  concerning 
himself,  and  a  great  deal  in  regard  to  the  state  of 
the  nation  for  purposes  of  offense  and  defense. 

"Yes,"  continued  the  Secretary,  in  answer  to  a 
question  from  Cobb,  "your  status  has  been  investi- 
gated, and  it  is  found  that  you  were  dropped  from 
the  army,  as  a  deserter,  December  1,  1904,  under  the 
provisions  of  section  1,229,  Revised  Statutes.  But 
when  the  wonderful  facts  attending  your  return  to 
life,  and  the  existence  and  tenor  of  your  leave  of 
absence,  given  in  1887,  had  been  fully  laid  before 
the  Supreme  Court,  sitting  in  bank,  yesterday,  a 
decree  was  formulated  that  you  have  never  been  out 
of  service — that  is,  legally.  You,  therefore,  Mr. 
Cobb,  revert  back  to  your  status  as  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Second  Cavalry. " 

Cobb  meditatively  admitted  that  perhaps  Cap- 
tain Hathaway  would,  after  all,  take  him  back  to 
the  regiment  on  the  10th  of   the    following  month. 


A.    D.    2000  215 

"But,"  and  the  Secretary  looked  inquiringly  at 
the  President,  who  nodded  assent,  "you  would  have 
been  the  ranking  Major  in  the  cavalry  arm  in  1918, 
the  year  you  would  have  retired  for  age,  according  to 
the  law  at  that  date." 

"Yes,  you  are  quite  right,  Mr.  Secretary,  I  would 
have  been  a  Major;  but  I  never  expected  to  have 
beeR  the  senior.  Promotion  at  that  time  was  slow 
beyond  measure — stagnated.  Old  men  with  grown- 
up families  were  still  Lieutenants,  while  the  major- 
ity of  Captains  were  old,  rheumatic,  and  unable  to 
perform  their  duty.  Lieutenants  did  all  the 
work."  Cobb  seemed  to  revert  back  iri  disgust  at 
the  state  of  promotion  in  1887. 

"As  you  would  have  been  retired  as  the  ranking 
Major,"  slowly  continued  the  Secretary,  paying  no 
attention  to  Cobb's  remarks,  but  with  a  pleasant  air 
at  the  news  he  was  about  to  communicate,  "the 
President  has  been  guided  by  a  sense  of  the  justice 
due  you,  and  has  nominated  you  to  the  Senate  as 
such,  to  rank  at  the  head  of  the  list.  Further,  as 
a  vacancy  exists  in  the  grade  of  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
your  promotion  to  that  rank  follows  as  a  natural 
course.  The  Senate  will  confirm  the  nomination  at 
16  dial.  Allow  me,  Colonel  Cobb,  to  congratulate 
you,"  and  the  good  old  man  clasped  the  hand  of 
the  new  Lieutenant-Colonel;  nor  was  the  President 
slow  in  his  congratulations.  Both  seemed  to  have 
taken  a  special  interest  in  Cobb. 

He,  in  his  turn,  expressed  his  sincere  thanks  for 


2l6  A.     D.    2000 

their  kindness  to  him,  and  was  highly  elated  at  the 
good  fortune  attending  his  new  life. 

"By  the  records,"  continued  Mr.  Fowler,  "you 
are  thirty-three  years  of  age,  for  you  entered  the  cat- 
aleptic state  at  that  age;  and  it  has  been  decided 
that  the  period  of  your  inanimation  shall  not  in 
any  manner  be  counted  against  you.  A  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel at  thirty-three,  the  youngest  in  the 
army,  you  will  one  day  command  the  army  of  the 
United  States."  And  he  smiled  kindly,  while  the 
President  looked  admiringly  upon  his  protege. 

Then,  for  an  hour,  the  Secretary  gave  Colonel 
Cobb  a  brief  history  of  the  army  during  the  hun- 
dred and  odd  years  which  had  passed. 

"We  have,  to-day,"  said  he,  "a  population  of 
over  500,000,000  of  people,  occupying  sixty-eight 
States  and  nine  Territories,  covering  the  whole 
of  North  America  from  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to 
the  Arctic,  and  from  the  Pacific  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean." 

"This  is  a  vast  and  wonderful  increase  since  the 
census  of  1880,"  exclaimed  Cobb.  "Why,  I  remem- 
ber, in  1887,  that  the  most  sanguine  statistician  es- 
timated only  67,000,000  for  the  next  census,  that 
of  1890." 

"True,"  returned  the  Secretary.  "That  was  above 
the  exact  figure;  if  I  remember  correctly,  it  was 
only  64,987,504.  But  even  that  population  was  a 
trifle  more  than  twenty-five  per  cent,  increase  upon 
the  census  of  1880.      The  ratio  of  increase  since  we 


A.    D.    2000  2I7 

were    a    nation    of  only  3,000,000,  averaged    about 
thirty  per  cent,  until  the  year  1900.     In  1910  it  fell 
to  twenty-two  per  cent.,  but  the  next  census,  that  of 
1920,  showed  an  increase  of    thirty-four    per    cent. 
The  reason  for  this  great  increase  is  found    in    the 
fact  that  in  1915  the    United  States    acquired  Mex- 
ico and  all  Central  America,  with  its  population  of 
over    20,000,000     souls,     and     in     1917,     after     the 
conquest,     the    whole    of     British    America,     with 
10,000,000  more.      Our  population  was,  by  the  census 
of   1920— counting  in    30,000,000  people  acquired— 
137,000,000.     The  increase  since  1890  has    averaged 
only  18.5  per    cent,    every    ten  years,  or    less    than 
two  per  cent,   a  year. " 

"And  is  not  the  country  somewhat  crowded  by  this 
great  mass  of  people?"  inquired  Cobb. 

"By  no  means;  there  is  room  for  double  the  num- 
ber—yes, treble  as  many.  The  great  States  of  Slave, 
Saskatchewan,  Manitoba,  Assiniboia,  and  west  of 
the  isothermal  line  of  thirty-eight  degrees  are  teem- 
ing with  people  engaged  in  agriculture." 

"What  is  the  strength  of  the  army  required  to 
protect  the  country  from  internal  violence,  and  for 
a  cadre  of  a  full  army?"   asked  Cobb. 

"Our  army  consists  of  148,000  men  only,  compris- 
ing 70,000  infantry,  28,000  cavalry,  and  50,000  ar- 
tillery. The  maintenance  and  distribution  of  this 
force  is  very  different  from  what  it  was  during  the 
years  when  the  country  was  new  and  sparsely  inhab- 
ited.     The  artillery  is  along  the  sea-board,  and  is  a 


2l8  A.    D.    2000 

full-paid  army.  The  enlisted  portion  serve  for 
three  years  at  a  time,  and  are  paid  at  a  fixed  rate 
of  $20  per  month  for  the  privates.  The  infantry  and 
cavalry  are  distributed  among  the  States;  each  State 
and  the  Territories  of  North  and  South  Alaska,  and 
Indian,  has  one  regiment  of  infantry  and  a  battalion 
of  cavalry  (400).  The  posts  are  near  the  great 
centers  of  the  States,  and  from  them  the  troops 
can  be  quickly  transported  to  the  scene  of  any  dis- 
turbance. Each  governor  has  authority  to  order  out 
his  State  garrison  for  the  preservation  of  life  or 
property,  or  to  quell  riot  or  disorder  in  his  State. 
The  posts  are  large  and  handsome,  and  with  fine 
and  sufficient  quarters  for  officers  and  men.  The 
social  standing  of  the  soldier  is  equal  to  that  of  the 
citizen,  except  that,  as  a  soldier,  full  and  implicit 
obedience  to  his  officers  is  required  and  maintained. 
The  food  is  excellent,  and  well  cooked  and  served; 
the  uniform  is  of  the  best  material.  Now,  Colonel, 
I  will  explain  the  system:  The  infantry  and  cavalry 
posts  are  schools  for  the  instruction  of  the  youth 
of  the  country.  The  period  of  service  is  three 
years,  and  the  strength  of  each  garrison  strictly 
maintained.  The  regiments  are  recruited  wholly 
from  the  State  they  are  in,  and  do  not  leave  that 
State  to  garrison  other  posts.  This  applies  only 
to  the  enlisted  portion  of  the  army;  the  officers 
hold  life  positions,  and  are  promoted  lineally  in 
their  own  branch  of  the  service.  They  are  moved 
from  station  to  station  every  three  years,  but  never 


A.     D.    2000  2ig 

returning  to  a  station  at  which  they  had  served  be- 
fore. The  pay  of  the  army  of  instruction,  or  'In- 
land Army/  as  it  is  named,  is  $5  per  month  per  man, 
regardless  of  grade,  and  $100  upon  discharge  after 
three  years  of  faithful  service.  Every  year  the  State 
furnishes  500  young  men  who  have  passed  the 
physical  examination,  and  they  are  sworn  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States." 

"But  how  are  these  men  found?  Do  they  volun- 
tarily enlist?"  broke  in  Cobb. 

"Not  all,  though  many  do,  in  order  to  get  their 
service  in.  Each  State  keeps  a  complete  record  of 
every  male  in  its  territory — his  age,  occupation,  and 
physical  condition.  From  a  list  of  all  those  be- 
tween twenty-one  and  twenty-four  years  of  age,  is 
selected,  by  chance,  the  yearly  quota  for  military 
service,  less  the  number  of  voluntary  enlistments; 
and  no  one  so  selected  can  avoid  the  three  years' 
service  at  the  State  post;  nor  do  they  try,  I  might 
add,  for  no  excuse  but  physical  incapacity  will 
avail  to  free  them  from  this  duty  to  the  State  and 
Union.  From  every* walk  in  life  they  come — the 
rich,  the  poor,  the  worker  and  the  young  man  of 
leisure.  If  a  son  is  the  only  support  of  a  family, 
the  State  supplies  a  substitute.  Except  in  time  of 
war,  they  are  never  called  upon  again  for  military 
service.  This  is  what  makes  the  soldier  the  equal 
of  the  civilian.  If  a  name  is  once  selected  and 
the  man  does  not  report,  being  at  the  time  a  resi- 
dent of    the  State,   he  is  declared    a  deserter,     and 


220  A.     D.    2000 

punished  as  such.  To  their  officers  these  men  are 
obedient  and  respectful;  with  the  civilian,  they  are 
sons  of  the  State,  and  their  duty  honorable  in  the 
extreme.  Desertion  is  almost  unknown;  but  when 
it  does  occur,  the  offender  receives  the  fixed  punish- 
ment of  twenty  years  in  the  government  island 
prison." 

"And  the  government  pays  these  men?"  asked 
Cobb. 

"No;  the  pay  proper  and  subsistence  is  paid  by 
the  State,  but  everything  else  is  furnished  by  the 
government." 

"And  their  duties,  what  are  they?" 

"They  are  taught  all  the  duties  of  a  soldier;  they 
make  marches  from  point  to  point,  and  diffuse  a 
military  feeling  among  the  people;  they  learn  to 
ride,  to  use  their  arms,  and  to  become  able,  if  the 
time  occurs,  to  impart  this  instruction  to  others. 
They  are  a  guard  against  interior  violence  in  the 
State,  and  their  presence  tends  to  keep  alive  that 
little  spark  of  military  ardor  which  should  never 
be  allowed  to  die,  even  in  a  country  deemed  ever  so 
secure  from  foreign  invasion." 

"A  system  both  great  and  useful!"  exclaimed 
Cobb.  "But  how  are  the  artillery  regiments  kept 
full?" 

"By  enlistment  only.  The  applications  far  ex- 
ceed the  demands.  The  majority  come  from  the  In- 
land Army,  from  those  who  are  poor  and  from  those 
who  have  taken  a  fancy  to  a  military  life." 


A.     D.     2000  221 

"And  the  officers — how  are  they  appointed?" 

"They  are  taken  from  the  non-commissioned  offi- 
cers who  have  completed  their  three  years'  service 
and  are  desirous  of  becoming  officers.  From  the 
number  of  non-commissioned  officers  of  each  regi- 
ment competing,  the  five  who  lead  in  the  examina- 
tions are  sent  to  the  United  States  military  school 
and  pursue  a  three  years'  course  of  study.  From 
this  class,  in  the  order  of  their  standing,  are  filled 
the  vacancies  existing  on  New- Year' s-Day  of  each 
year,  the  remainder  of  the  class  being  discharged." 

"Will  you  tell  me  what  kind  of  arms  are  now 
used?"  asked  Cobb. 

"For  infantry,  the  service  rifle  and  milag  cart- 
ridge; for  cavalry  the  same,  but  shorter  and  lighter, 
besides  a  pistol  using  the  milag  cartridge  of  calibre 
35.  The  artillery  use  nothing  but  the  heavy  guns, 
which  are  of  different  styles  and  for  different  pur- 
poses. Some  are  for  lipthalene,  others  for  liptha- 
lene  and  meteorite,  and  still  others  using  meteorite 
alone." 

"What!  did  I  understand  you  to  say  meteorite?" 
and  Cobb  looked  at  the  Secretary  with  a  surprised 
and  earnest  expression,  while  his  hand  nervously 
grasped  the  back  of  his  chair. 

"Yes;  certainly.  Is  there  anything  strange  in  the 
name,  that  you  should  look  at  me  so  doubtingly?" 

"No;  I  suppose  not,"  settling  back  in  his  chair. 

"But  you  appeared  very  much  surprised." 

"Yes?" 


222  A.     D.    2000 

"Yes;  have  you  seen  this  explosive?  But  no;  you 
could  not  have  seen  it.  It  did  not  come  to  the  no- 
tice of  the  government  until  after  your  time." 

"Will  you  show  me  one  of  these  milag  cart- 
ridges?" 

"Certainly." 

He  rang  a  bell  and  ordered  a  box  of  milag  cart- 
ridges sent  to  him  in  the  office.  When  the  Secretary 
had  received  them,   he  gave  one    to    Cobb,    saying: 

"This  small  bullet  does  not  look  much  like  a 
cartridge,  does  it?" 

Cobb  took    it  and  carefully  examined  it. 

It  was  precisely  similar  to  those  he  had  sent  to 
Washington  in  1887.  Smiling  to  himself,  he 
turned  his  eyes  first  upon  the  President  and  then 
upon  the  Secretary. 

"When  did  you  say  these  were  invented?"  he 
asked,  in  an  unconcerned  manner. 

"I  can  soon  tell  you." 

Rising  and  taking  a  book  from  the  shelf,  he 
quickly  found  the  history  of  the  milag  cartridge, 
and  read: 

"'Milag  cartridge;  from  the  Volapiik  word 
milag,  "wonderful"  A  cartridge  using  meteorite 
as  an  explosive;  usual  charge  for  40  calibre,  one 
and  one-third  grains;  initial  velocity,  3,562;  range, 
four  miles.  Meteorite  was  discovered  in  1899,  and 
the  formula  sold  to  the  government  hy  John  Otis, 
chief  clerk  to  the  Chief  of  Ordnance.'" 

"Chief  of  Ordnance?"  broke  in  Cobb,  quickly. 


A.    D.     2000  223 

"Yes;  Chief  of  Ordnance.  But  have  you  read 
this?" 

"No,  sir." 

"But  there  certainly  is  some  mystery  here!"  ex- 
claimed the  President,  highly  interested  in  the  con- 
versation. 

Cobb  took  his  penknife  from  his  pocket,  and 
slowly  opening  it,  said: 

"If  I  cut  this  black  cement  in  the  base  of  the 
bullet,  I  come  to  the  meteorite;   am  I  correct?" 

"Yes." 

"And  it  is  white."  And  he  cut  the  cement  care- 
fully away  and  disclosed  the  little  disc  of  fulminate 
and  the  white  explosive  surrounding  it. 

"Strange!  "  cried  both  of  the  others  together, 
surprised  that  he  should  know  the  color  of  an  ex- 
plosive invented  after  his  time. 

"Have  you  any  nitric  acid?"   asked  Cobb. 

"Yes;  here  is  a  little,"  and  Secretary  Fowler 
handed  him  a  small  bottle  containing  the  nitric 
acid  used  in  testing  at  the  War  Department. 

Dipping  a  twisted  paper  into  the  liquid,  Cobb 
let  fall  a  single  drop  of  the  acid  on  the  explosive 
in  the  bullet;  then  moving  toward  the  window, 
which  he  threw  open,  he  struck  a  match  and 
said: 

"If  I  understand  this  meteorite,  it  will,  upon 
the  application  of  flame,  dissipate  itself  in  vapor, 
but  not  explode. " 

'Hold,  Colonel !"  cried  Mr.  Fowler,  in  great  alarm, 


224  A-    D-    2°°° 

as  he  and  the  President  drew  back.  "It  will  explode 
and  tear  your  hand  into  pieces." 

It  was  too  late.  Holding  his  hand  containing  the 
bullet  well  out  through  the  window,  he  touched  the 
flame  to  the  cartridge.  A  slight  flash  from  the  ful- 
minate followed,  and  then  the  meteorite  disap- 
peared in  a  colorless  gas.  Holding  aloft  the  empty 
bullet,   he  exultingly  cried: 

"Was  I  not  right  when  I  claimed  a  knowledge  of 
this  explosive?"  , 

Then  Junius  Cobb  explained  how  he  had  discov- 
ered this  compound;  how  he  had  transmitted  it  to 
the  Chief  of  Ordnance  in  1887,  and  the  restrictions 
he  had  placed  upon  that  office  regarding  the  sealed 
packet  containing  the  formula.  Time  passed,  and 
he  had  been  dropped  for  desertion,  but  the  sealed 
packet  still  remained  in  the  office  of  the  Chief  of 
Ordnance.  It  had  been  opened,  and  a  subordinate 
in  that  office  had  stolen  his  secret,  sold  it  to  the 
government,  and  reaped  immense  reward  and  honor. 
But  Cobb  had  no  ill-feeling  against  the  man;  he 
had  died  long  years  ago;  and  what  did  this  theft 
avail  him  at  that  moment? 

"You  are  a  wonderful  man,  my  dear  Colonel;  and 
I  believe  that,  in  the  dim  past,  you  conceived  the 
idea  of  many  of  our  greatest  inventions  of  to-day." 

President  Craft  arose  from  his  seat  as  he  spoke. 

Thanking  Secretary  Fowler  for  his  kindness, 
Cobb  turned  to  the  President  and  asked: 

"Is  it  time  to  take  our  departure?" 


A.    D.    2000  2  2S, 


"Yes,  Colonel."  Then,  turning  to  the  Secretary, 
he  said:  "By  the  way,  Mr.  Fowler,  be  so  kind  as  to 
have  an  order  made  out  directing  Captain  Hathaway, 
Second  Cavalry,  to  report  to  Colonel  Cobb  to-night 
for  orders;    send  it  at  once." 

"Sir,  I  will  attend  to  it  immediately." 
"Then,  Mr.   Fowler,  we  will  say  good  afternoon. " 
"Good  afternoon,  gentlemen;"  and  then  to  *Cobb: 
"Come  and  see  me,  Colonel,  whenever  you    feel  in- 
clined. " 

In  fifteen  minutes  they  were  back  at  the  execu- 
tive mansion. 

After  partaking  of  a  cup  of  coffee,  as  was  the 
President's  custom  at  that  hour,  they  entered  the 
drag  again,  and  were  rapidly  propelled  toward  the 
Capitol. 

Cobb  noticed  the  handsome  exterior  of  the  build- 
ings, their  beautiful  architecture  and  harmonious 
coloring. 

Pennsylvania  Avenue  was,  indeed,  a  beautiful 
thoroughfare.  Its  buildings  were  large  and  grand; 
great  hotels,  clubs,  bazars,  churches,  and  theatres 
were  thrown  together  in  one  complex  but  magnifi- 
cent order.  Over  the  sidewalk,  on  either  side, 
and  also  covering  the  cross-streets,  was  a  glass  can- 
opy supported  by  pillars  cf  the  same  material, 
handsomely  carved  and  finished.  The  windows  and 
doors  were  grand  in  their  size;  and  what  seemed 
strange  and  dangerous    to  Cobb,   no  sash  was  to  be 

A.    D.   2000        J  J 


226  A.    D.    2000 

observed;  nothing  but  great  panes  of    glass,    some 
white  and  clear,  others  of  various  hues. 

The  streets  and  walks  were  as  clean  as  a  parlor 
floor,  and  no  obstructions  were  to  be  seen  upon  them. 
The  pavement  was  of  a  soft  gray  tint,  and  like 
a  felt  blanket  in  its  appearance.  The  sidewalks 
were  laid  in  tessellated  work  of  all  the  hues  of  the 
solar  spectrum.  Statues  and  works  of  art  were 
everywhere  observable.  Great  trees  ranged  on  either 
side,  while  beautiful  plants  and  green  grass  plats 
surrounded  many  of  the  buildings. 

As  the  rays  of  the  sun  in  the  west  fell  upon  the 
buildings,  they  were  reflected  back  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street,  again  and  again  reflected,  and 
the  eye  of  Cobb  beheld  the  parallel  lines  of  Penn- 
sylvania Avenue  adorned  with  millions  of  sparkling, 
dancing  lights,  meeting  at  the  farther  end  in  one 
great  diamond  whose  lustre  could  almost  compare 
with  the  sun  itself. 

Ah!  what  a  grand  sight! — worthy  of  a  life  of  in- 
animation for  a  thousand  years.  Cobb  feasted  his 
eyes  on  the  beauty  of  the  scene.  Lost  in  the  ec- 
stasy of  the  moment,  he  was  rudely  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  the  reality  by  the  President  remarking: 

"It  is  a  grand  sight,  is  it  not?" 

"Yes!    yes,  indeed!     Grand    beyond  expression!" 

"This  street,  Colonel  Cobb,  is  said  to  be  the 
handsomest  in  the  world." 

"I  can  well  believe  it!  I  cannot  conceive  of  one 
that  could  be  more  beautiful." 


A.    D.    2000  22-7 

"And  yet,  Colonel,  it  is  all  glass." 

"Glass?" 

"Yes;  plain,  cheap,  common  glass." 

"You  mystify  me!  You  do  not  mean  to  tell  me 
that  these  magnificent  buildings  are  built  of 
glass?" 

"The  buildings,  walks,  streets,  and  nearly  every- 
thing visible  to  your  eye  is  of  glass." 

President  Craft  enjoyed  the  look  of  amazement 
and  incredulity  which  overspread  the  other's  face. 

"Surely  you  are  jesting  with  me!  Glass  is  no 
substance  for  any  of  these  purposes." 

"Remember,"  slowly,  "you  are  in  the  year  2000. 
That  which  was  impossible,  unheard  of,  to  you  in 
1887,  may  be  possible  and  common  with  us  to- 
day. " 

"True!  I  find  I  must  accept  as  possible  every 
theory  and  proposition  advanced,  until  it  is,  by  un- 
deniable evidence,  totally  disproved.  But  blame 
me  not  if  doubt  sometimes  arises.  Will  you  stop 
the  drag  a  moment?" 

"Certainly,"   was  the  puzzled  answer. 

Turning  his  head  to  the  driver  in  the  rear,  he  or- 
dered the  drag  stopped  at  the  curb. 

In  front  of  the  entrance  to  the  Dom  Kanitol  Leg- 
letik  (Grand  Opera  House),  by  the  side  of  two  tall 
and  elaborately  carved  pillars  covered  with  fine  and 
thread-like  filigree  work,  the  drag  came  to  a  stand- 
still. Without  a  word  of  explanation,  Cobb 
sprang  from  his  seat,  walked  up  to  the  nearest  pil- 


228  A.     D.    2000 

lar  and  dashed  the  heel  of  his  boot  against  a  beau- 
tiful rose  of  pure  white.  A  look  of  triumph  came 
into  his  eyes.  They  might  make  it  to  appear  like 
glass,  but  it  was  not  glass!  The  beautiful  rose  lay 
crushed  against  its  stem,  its  delicate  petals  bent 
and  twisted,  and  its  leaves  flattened  together. 

The  President  comprehended  the  young  man's  mo- 
tive, and  smiled.  As  Cobb  again  entered  the  drag, 
the   President  said,  but  kindly: 

"You  have  destroyed  that  beautiful  glass  rose, 
and  because  you  doubted  me." 

"Blame  me  not  for  doubting,  kind  sir,  nor  blame 
me  for  investigating.  Without  investigation  we 
could  never  arrive  at  a  certain  knowledge  of  the 
truth  or  falsity  of  any  proposition." 

"And  you  have  investigated?" 

"Yes." 

"And  proved — " 

"That  glass  is  not  the  component  part  of  that 
pillar,"  with  confidence. 

"One  word  will  dispel  that  illusion."  Mr.  Craft 
spoke  very  deliberately. 

"Speak  it,  then,  I  pray  you,"  with  greater  as- 
tonishment than  ever. 

"Malleability!  " 

Like  a  flash  of  lightning,  the  conviction  of  the 
truth  of  the  President's  words  fell  upon  the  doubt- 
ing man's  mind.  Malleable  glass!  that  ignis-fatuus 
which  had  caused  men's  minds  to  turn  from  reason 
to  insanity;  had  caused    chemists  and  philosophers 


A.     D.    2000  229 

throughout  the  known  world  to  struggle  for  years 
and  years,  and  finally  go  down  to  their  graves  with 
their  hopes  unfulfilled;  that  art  which  was  said 
to  have  been  known  in  the  third  century,  during 
the  reign  of  Tiburon — had  been  again  discovered 
and  made  known  to  mankind. 

"And  is  all  of  this  of  malleable  glass?"  still 
with  wonder. 

"All.  The  art  has  been  known  for  over  fifty 
years.  It  is  common  glass,  composed  of  silica, 
lime,  barytes,  etc.,  to  which  is  added  nitrate  of  ze- 
siid  and  coloring  matter.  It  is  cheaper  than  wood 
or  any  of  the  metals,  is  about  the  weight  of  copper, 
and  has  its  strength  and  malleability.  It  is  made 
into  every  conceivable  form  and  shape,  and '  has 
almost  entirely  taken  the  place  of  the  cheaper  met- 
als where  temper  and  extreme  rigor  are  not  desired. 
It  never  tarnishes,  decays,  or  breaks.  When  ex- 
posed to  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  it  is  as 
bright  to-day  as  it  was  yesterday,  or  years  ago." 

Wonderful,  indeed,  were  the  inventions  of  the 
twentieth  century ! 

At  16:5  dial  the  President's  electric  drag  glided 
evenly  and  noiselessly  out  of  Pennsylvania  Avenue, 
rounded  the  corner,  and  stopped  at  the  grand  en- 
trance to  the  Dom  Lon,  or  Capitol,  of  the  United 
States. 

An  hour  was  passed  in  visiting  the  three  houses 
of  Congress,  and  Cobb  carefully  noted  the  working 
of  the  national  legislature, 


230  A.    D.    2000 

On  the  way  home,  the  President  said: 

"There  is  a  Senate  of  136  members,  or  two  from 
each  State,  presided  over  by  the  First  Vice-Pres- 
ident; two  lower  houses  of  400  and  280  members, 
respectively,  presided  over  by  the  Second  and  Third 
Vice-Presidents.  The  Smadom,  or  lower  house, 
is  that  body  in  which  are  introduced  all  bills  of  a 
private  nature  whatsoever — such  as  claims  or  ap- 
peals for  money,  position,  justice,  rights  and  fran- 
chises. If  approved  in  this  house  they  go  to  the 
Senate,  and  are  usually  approved  by  that  body.  In 
the  Gledom,  or  upper  house,  originate  all  bills  for 
the  good  of  the  nation  at  large.  The  system  of 
committees,  as  of  old,  is  a  component  part  of  the 
machinery  of  this  house.  The  functions  of  the  Sen- 
ate, with  the  restrictions  imposed  upon  it  by  the 
creation  of  a  third  house,  have  undergone  few 
changes  since  your  time." 

"Are  there  any  changes  in  the  method  of  electing 
Senators,  Representatives,  and  chief  magistrate?" 

"Yes;  the  President's  term  of  office  is  five  years, 
taking  office  on  New-Year' s-Day  of  every  year  divis- 
ible by  five  without  a  remainder — that  is,  it  com- 
menced in  1940.  In  the  October  of  the  year  pre- 
ceding the  taking  of  office,  the  governors  of  all  the 
States  assemble  at  a  designated  place  and  nominate 
four  candidates  for  each  office.  The  two  houses  of 
Representatives  meet  on  the  first  day  of  November, 
and  proceed  to  elect,  from  the  nominees,  the  Pres- 
ident and  Vice-Presidents." 


A.     D.    2000  2,j 

"Then,  I  take  it  that  a  Republican  house  would 
surely  elect  a  Republican,  and  vice  versa?"  said 
Cobb. 

"There  is  no  Republican  or  Democratic  party, 
nor  any  two  parties,  as  formerly.  One  party,  the 
American,  rules  this  country.  No  diversity  of 
opinion  exists  as  regards  the  welfare  of  the  nation. 
No  policy  from  the  candidates  for  the  Presidency 
is  called  for,  or  expected.  To-day  there  are  no 
great  questions  to  split  the  nation  with  conten- 
tion." 

"But  may  not  the  choice  of  the  people  be  defeat- 
ed, where  the  election  is  in  the  hands  of  so  few?" 

"Again  experience  teaches  that  you  are  wrong. 
Under  the  old  system  the  people  had  a  choice  be- 
tween two  men;  now  the  nation  has  a  choice  from 
four  men.  The  extent  and  population  of  the  coun. 
try  being  so  enormous,  individual  voting  would  ne- 
cessitate long  and  arduous  work  in  counting  and 
verifying  the  vote.  Were  the  two  distinct  parties  in 
the  field,  our  method  might— mind  you,  I  say 
might— work  disadvantageous^  to  one  party  or  the 
other.  The  fairness  of  the  system  now  in  vogue 
consists  in  the  celerity  of  the  election  after  nomina- 
tion, and  in  the  number  of  nominees.  No  man  can 
tell  beforehand  upon  whom  will  fall  the  nomina- 
tions given  by  sixty-eight  men,  high  in  social  and 
civil  standing,  and  who  come  together  from  every 
part  of  this  great  country -men  who  are,  as  a  rule, 
unacquainted  with  one  another.      Even    if  collusion 


232  A.    D.    2000 

brought  about  a  certain  nomination,  who  could  tell 
that  that  nominee  would  be  elected  by  the  two 
houses?  The  nomination  takes  place  October  first, 
and  certified  copies,  signed  by  every  governor  pres- 
ent, though  he  may  have  voted  against  the  nominee, 
are  delivered  by  the  three  governors  oldest  in  years 
to  each  of  the  three  Vice-Presidents  of  the  United 
States.  On  the  first  day  of  November  the  names 
are  presented,  and  the  balloting  commences  in  both 
houses  simultaneously,  and  continues  until  an  elec- 
tion is  completed  by  that  house.  The  record  is  sent 
to  the  Senate,  and  that  body  counts  and  verifies  the 
vote  of  the  two  houses,  and  announces  the  re- 
sult." 

"Very  simple,  after  all,"  remarked  Cobb.  "But 
has  it  always  worked  well?" 

"Perfectly." 

"How  long  have  you  been  in  office,  Mr.  Presi- 
dent?" 

"Since  last  New-Year' s-Day." 

"Will  you  get  the  nomination  again,  do  you 
think?" 

"No;  assuredly  not.  One  of  the  most  strictly 
followed  laws  of  the  United  States  is  that  no  man 
can  hold  the  same  elective  office  twice.  This  law 
applies  to  all  national  and  State  offices,  but  not  to 
others  below  that  dignity." 

"Does  this  law  not  tend  to  deprive  the  State  and 
nation  of  the  services  of  tried  and  capable  men?" 

"Colonel,  this  nation    is  great;   vast.      There    are 


A.     D.     2000  233 

thousands  upon  thousands  of  men  fully  as  capable 
as  those  in  office,  ready  to  take  their  turn." 

"And  federal  appointments,  the  patronage  of  the 
party,  as  it  was  formerly  called — how  are  they 
made?" 

"Wholly  upon  competitive  examination;  not  in 
scientific  branches  of  learning,  but  upon  the  duties 
required,  together  with  a  common-school  education." 

"And  the  term  of  office?" 

"In  many  positions  it  is  during  active  life;  in 
others  for  ten  years,  or  less  periods.  But  in  all 
cases  the  period  is  known,  and  removals  never  take 
place  without  cause  having  been  given  by  the  in- 
cumbent:   this  cause  is  never  political." 

"I  see  we  are  at  the  door,"  reluctantly  said  Cobb, 
as  the  drag  came  to  a  standstill  before  the  entrance 
to  the  executive  mansion,  "so  will  ask  you  no  more 
questions  to-day — but  the  subject  is  one  of  great 
interest  to  me." 

After  dinner,  as  Cobb  and  Hugh  were  lounging 
about  and  smoking  their  cigars,  the  President  came 
into  the  room  and  handed  the  former  the  evening 
paper,  remarking: 

"You  have  not  seen  a  paper  to-day.  Here  is  the 
American:    you  will  find  all  the  news  in  it." 

Moving  toward  the  door,  the  President  turned 
around,  and  added: 

"By  the  bye,  Junius,  Captain  Hathaway  will  re- 
port to  you  this  evening  for  orders;  dispose  of  him 
as  you  please,"  and  he  passed  out  into  the  hall. 


234  A-  n-  2co° 

"Don't  mind  me,  Junius,"  said  Hugh;  "read 
your  paper.  I'll  look  at  the  society  news  in  it — 
there  is  no  such  nonsense  in  yours,"  drawing  out 
the  "Washington  Report"  from  his  pocket. 


CHAPTER  XII 

Leaning  back  in  his  chair,  and  sending  upward 
clouds  of  smoke  from  his  fragrant  cigar,  Cobb  un- 
folded the  paper,  and  glanced  at  the  title-page. 

"Hello!  The  'Daily  American,'"  he  said  to  him- 
self. "Another  copy  of  the  paper  I  saw  in  San 
Francisco. " 

Opening  it,  he  observed  the  same  peculiarities 
which  had  attracted  his  attention  before,  the  same 
headings  for  the  columns,  the  same  want  of  regu- 
larity in  the  spacing  at  the  ends  of  the  lines,  and 
the  same  scarcity  in  the  variation  of  the  type  used. 
Glancing  at  the  date,  he  read: 

"'America,  September  19,  2,000.'  This  is  the 
19th,"  he  mused;  "surely  this  paper  could  not  have 
come  from  San  Francisco,  or  its  vicinity,  since  its 
issue."  He  would  ask  Hugh,  in  a  moment,  to  ex- 
plain it.  Hardly  knowing  where  to  commence,  he 
took  the  first  column,  and  read: 

"FROM  EUROPE. 
"London,  19,  10  d. — Congress  adjourned  to-day 
out  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  Albert  Victor  Guelph, 
formerly  Prince  of  Wales,  and  ex-Senator  of  the 
Republic,  who  died  at  2  d.,  aged  eighty-five  years. 
Albert  Victor  Guelph  was  the  son  of  Albert  Victor 
Christian  Edward,  the  last    reigning    sovereign     of 

235 


236  A.     D.    20OO 

Great  Britain,  and  was  born  at  Windsor  Castle, 
April  5,  1915.  Upon  the  downfall  of  the  monarchy, 
in  1918,  the  King  retired,  with  his  son,  to  France. 
In  1955  Albert  Guelph  returned  to  England,  by  per- 
mission of  the  government,  and  became  a  citizen 
of  the  republic.  He  became  a  Senator  in  1962,  and 
retired  to  private  life  in  1980." 

"Berlin,  19,  8  d. — A  great  fire  is  raging  at  this 
hour  in  die  Strasse  unter  den  Linden.  At  2  d. 
smoke  was  seen  issuing  from  the  rear  windows  of 
the  Berlin  Art  Gallery,  and  at  this  hour  the  build- 
ing is  doomed  to  destruction.  The  Berlin  Art 
Gallery  was  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  the  city, 
and  was,  before  the  institution  of  the  United  States 
of  Germany,  the  palace  of  the  German  monarchs. 
The  last  Emperor  to  occupy  this  palace  was  William 
II.  grandson  of  that  great  and  beloved  Emperor, 
William  I.  By  the  dethronement  of  William  II.,  in 
1903,  all  the  States  which  had  formed  the  confeder- 
ation united  under  the  title  of  the  United  States  of 
Germany. " 

"St.  Petersburg,  19,  9  d. — An  imperial  ukase  has 
been  promulgated  granting  self-government  to  all 
Siberia.  By  this  ukase  the  Russian  Empire  loses 
nearly  one-half  of  its  territories.  The  separation 
is  the  outcome  of  the  bitter  internal  war  between 
the  mother  country  and  the  distant  colonies.  Since 
the  discontinuance  of  exiling  to  Siberia,  which  was 
abolished  in  1895,  soon  after  the  expose  to  the  world 
of  the  pernicious  system  and  the  atrocities  practiced 


A.    D.     2000  237 

by  the  officials,  and  after  the  general  amnesty  ukase 
of  that  year,  Siberia  has  grown  in  wealth  and  pop- 
ulation to  such  an  extent  that  self-government 
comes  as  a  matter  of  right.  Mutual  offensive  and 
defensive  alliance  only  is  stipulated." 

"Paris,  19,  4  d. — Le  Roi  est  mort.  Vive  le  Roi! 
The  King,  Louis  XX.  is  dead.  Louis  Charles  Phi- 
lippe, great-grandson  of  Louis  Philippe  Robert, 
Due  d' Orleans,  and  afterward  King  Louis  XVIII., 
expired  at  23  dial  of  yesterday,  after  a  prolonged 
and  severe  sickness.  Louis  Auguste  Stanislaus, 
Dauphin  of  France,  takes  the  throne  as  Louis  XXI. 
Louis  Philippe  Robert,  great-grandfather  of  Louis 
XX.,  ascended  the  throne  in  1894,  an^  reigned  un- 
til 1917,  when  the  republic  was  again  declared,  and 
Louis  XVIII.  fled  to  Naples.  After  thirteen  years 
the  monarchy  was  reestablished,  and  continued  until 
1951.  For  twenty-three  years  did  poor  France  strug- 
gle along  without  the  pomp  and  glitter  of  an  impe- 
rial rule;  but  the  strain  was  too  much,  and  in  1974 
the  deceased  Emperor  was  summoned  to  the  throne 
of  his  forefathers.  He  proved  himself  a  good  sov- 
ereign, giving  France  peace  and  prosperity." 

"Rome,  19,  5  d. — The  Republic  of  Italy  has  sent 
a  telegram  of  condolence  upon  the  death  of  the 
French  King. " 

"Madrid,  19,  5  d. — The  Republic  of  Granada 
[Spain  and  Portugal]  has  sent  telegrams  of  sym- 
pathy to  the  new  King  of  the  French." 


238 


"FROM  ASIA. 


"Peking,  18,  22  d. — By  a  royal  edict,  Li  Hung 
Tsoi,  the  Emperor,  has  decreed  that,  'in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  good  subjects  of  Tien-tze  have  for  ages 
worn  the  emblem  of  a  once  distasteful  slavery  under 
the  Hiong-un,  it  is  now  decreed  that  the  ban-ma 
shall  at  once  be  cut  from  the  head  of  every  one  of 
our,  male  subjects,  and  the  chang-mor  no  longer 
worn.'  [Ban-ma  is  the  long  braided  hair  worn  by 
all  Chinese,  and  called  by  us  'the  queue.'  £hang- 
mor  is  long  hair. — Editor.]" 

And  then  Cobb  read  on  and  pondered  upon  the 
changes  which  had  taken  place,  and  which  he  here 
saw  recorded  as  newspaper  items.  England,  once 
so  proud  as  a  kingdom,  now  a  republic;  Germany 
following  in  the  wake;  Spain  and  Portugal  and 
Italy  numbered  in  the  fold.  And  France !  alas ! 
poor  France!  up  and  down,  changeable  as  a  weather- 
vane;  who  could  expect  a  stable  government?  La 
belle  France!  to-day  a  republic;  to-morrow  a  mon- 
archy! 

Turning  over  the  pages  of  the  paper,  his  eyes 
lighted  up  with  renewed  interest.  Though  his  in- 
terest was  great  as  he  read  of  kingdoms  falling  and 
new  ones  building  up,  here  was  the  page  that 
aroused  his  old-time  enthusiasm.  Yes;  he  was  a 
crank — a  crank  of  the  veriest  pronounced  type,  and 
he  knew  it  as  he  folded  out  the  paper  in  his  eager- 
ness to  read: 


A.    D.    2000 


239 


"Boston,  18,  18  d. — The  game  to-day  was  a  fine  ex- 
hibition of  pitching  and  fielding.  Neither  side 
could  score  until  in  the  last  innings  'Michael,'  that 
descendant  of  the  only  Mike  of  the  nineteenth  cent- 
ury, got  his  wagon-tongue  square  against  the  sphere, 
and  sent  it  skyward  outside  of  the  field. 

"The  score: 

"Innings — I     23456789 

Boston o    o    o    o    o    o    o    o     1 

New  York o     00000000 

"Errors:  none.  2  b.  hits:  none.  3  b.  hits:  none. 
Home  run:  Michael  Kelley.  Batteries:  for  Boston, 
Clarkson  and  'Ginty'  Carroll;  for  New  York: 
Keefe  and  Ewing.  Double  plays:  Boston,  5;  New 
York,  4.    Umpire:   Sheridan.    Time  of  game:    1:20." 

"The  same  grand  game,"  he  murmured,  "is  still 
the  national  sport.     It  could  never  die!     No,  never!  " 

He  read  on  and  on.  Everything  was  of  interest 
to  him  in  his  new  life.  He  read  of  himself,  of  his 
arrival  in  Washington,  and  of  his  every  act  during 
the  previous  day. 

Letting  the  paper  fall  from  his  hand,  he  aroused 
Hugh  from  the  perusal  of  the  society  columns  of 
the  "Washington  Reporter"  by  exclaiming: 

"This  paper  is  a  great  affair,  is  it  not?"  nodding 
toward  the  paper  which  had  fallen  to  the  floor  by 
his  chair. 

"A  very  newsy  paper  indeed,  Junius,  '  Hugh  an- 
swered; "in  fact,  it  is  the  only  paper  of  general 
news  in  the  United  States." 


240 


D.    2000 


"How  is  that?  Are  there  not  other  newspapers 
besides  this?" 

"Oh,  plenty.  But  all  others  are  published  for 
local  interests,  and  rarely  circulate  outside  of  their 
city  or  township." 

"And  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  this  paper  is  the 
newspaper  of  the  whole  country?  It  must  be  quite 
stale  ere  it  reaches  many  portions  of  this  na- 
tion. 

•"Not  at  all.  It  is  simultaneously  printed  in  over 
five  hundred  different  cities,  and  no  copy  has  to  be 
sent  far  to  reach  its  subscriber.  For  instance:  this 
copy  is  printed  in  this  city;  the  copies  for  New  York, 
in  New  York;  and  those  for  San  Francisco,  in  that 
town." 

"But  the  heading  reads:  'America,  September  19, 
2000?'" 

"That  is  the  original  paper.  At  America,  the  type 
is  set  and  form  made  from  which  copies  are  taken 
and  reprinted  throughout  the  nation." 

"You  astonish  me;    pray  explain  yourself." 

"America,"  and  Hugh  wheeled  his  chair  closer  to 
Cobb,  "is  a  small  town  on  the  Central  Sea,  in  the 
old  State  of  Kentucky.  All  the  news  of  the  world 
is  telegraphed  to  this  place,  and  set  in  form  for 
printing.  Copies  of  this  form  are  then  transmitted 
by  telegraph  to  every  city  which  is  to  reproduce  the 
paper — a  very  simple  operation." 

"Yes,"  dubiously;    "very  simple,   indeed!" 

"But  let  us  not  discuss  the  subject    now;     I    will 


A.     D.    2000  . ',;  ! 

take  you  to  America,  and  show  you  the  whole    sys- 
tem." 

And  the  subject  of  the  "Daily  American"  rested. 

At  this  moment  Captain  Hathaway  entered  the 
room,  bowing  to  both  of  the  gentlemen. 

"Good  evening,  Hugh,"  he  exclaimed,  extending 
his  hand.  Then  to  Cobb:  "Good  evening,  Mr. 
Cobb." 

"Colonel,  sir;  Colonel  Cobb.  You  forget  you  are 
addressing  your  superior  officer. 

As  Hugh  spoke,  he  gave  the  other  a  severe  look, 
as  if  to  say,    "How  do  you  like  it?" 

The  story  of  young  Hathaway' s  discourtesy  toward 
Cobb  that  morning  had  been  told  him. 

Captain  Hathaway  blushed,  and  turning  toward 
Cobb,  said,  apologetically: 

"I  am  cognizant  of  your  good  fortune  and  new 
rank.  I  congratulate  you.  You  will  pardon  my 
rudeness  to  you  this  morning,  will  you  not,  Colonel 
Cobb?  Some  time  I  will  explain  why  I  so  far  for- 
got myself,"  and  he  dropped  his  eyes  to    the   floor. 

"Captain  Hathaway,  let  it  be  forgotten,"  frankly 
extending  his  hand.  "Let  us  be  friends,  not  ene- 
mies." 

Hathaway  grasped  the  hand  and  wrung  it  with  a 
sincere  grasp  of  friendship.  Then,  saluting  Cobb, 
he  reported  to  him  for  orders. 

"You  are  under  orders  to  join  your  regiment,  are 
you  not?" 

"Yes,  sir." 
A.  D.  2000     16 


242  A.    D.    2000 

"Do  you  wish  to  go?" 

"Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  there  is  every  reason 
for  wishing  to  remain;  but  they  will  not  allow  me 
to  do  so,"  sadly. 

"Who  will  not?" 

"The  President;  for  I  have  applied  to  him  per- 
sonally." 

"It  is  rather  early  for  me  to  go  against  the  wishes 
of  the  President, "  and  he  looked  at  Hugh;  "but  you 
are  directed  to  report  to  me  for  orders,  and  I  must 
give  them  to  you." 

"And  I  must  join. "  Hathaway  spoke  in  a  resigned 
manner. 

"And  you  will  stay  in  Washington  until  further 
orders,"   looking  at  him  kindly. 

"Colonel,  I  thank  you." 

Cobb  had  made  one  more  friend. 

After  an  hour  at  the  club,  the  trio  parted;  Hath- 
away to  his  hotel,  and  Cobb  and  Hugh  to  their 
rooms. 

That  night,  as  he  lay  upon  his  bed,  Cobb  dreamed 
of  Mollie  Craft  and  her  radiant  beauty,  and  of 
Marie  Colchis,  his  child  love.  The  faces  of  both 
came  in  visions  before  him.  He  seemed  translated 
to  a  dark  and  dreary  region,  and  wandered  about 
sad  and  alone.  No  human  soul  greeted  his  ap- 
proach. Alone  and  desolate  of  heart,  he  pursued 
his  way.  At  last,  after  ages  of  misery,  he  came  up- 
on a  solitary  grave  in  the  desolate  waste.  Stunted 
and  gnarled,     a    solitary    oak    grew  at  its  foot.     A 


A.    D.    2000 


243 


headboard,  worn  and  battered  by  the  elements,  lay, 
torn  up  from  its  setting  upon  the  ground.  A  rivulet 
of  water,  small  and  silent  in  its  course,  flowed 
away  and  sank  into  the  sand. 

Moving  forward,  he  read  the  inscription  on  the 
moldy  board: 

"Junius  Cobb  and  the  heart  of  Marie  Colchis." 

With  a  flood  of  tears,  he  threw  himself  upon  the 
mound,  and  cried  aloud  in  his  anguish: 

"O,  Marie!  Marie!  my  own,  my  darling!  Oh! 
come;  come  to  me  ere  I  die!" 

A  bright  light  overspread  the  earth;  the  desola- 
tion seemed  to  vanish,  and  all  nature  assumed  its 
grandest  garb.  Rising  from  the  grave,  he  beheld 
an  angel  approaching,  and  leading  by  the  hand  a 
woman  in  robes  of  white.  Nearer  and  nearer  they 
drew  to  his  wondering  gaze.  In  the  angel's  face 
he  recognized  the  fair  and  lovely  countenance  of 
Mollie  Craft. 

"Look  up!     Behold!"  cried  the  angelic  form. 

Its  companion's  face  was  raised,  and  forth  she 
stretched  her  hands. 

With  a  wild  cry  of  joy,  he  sprang  forward,  and 
was  clasped  in  the  arms  of  Marie  Colchis.  He 
saw  her  ecstatic  beauty,  her  heavenly  eyes,  her  form 
divine,  and  felt  that  she  was  his  once  more.  Then 
the  voice  of  the  angel,  in  sweet,  harmonious  tones, 
spoke  forth  the  words: 

"A  bride  I  bring  thee,  O  sorrowing  soul!  Those 
whom  God  hath  made   as  man  and  wife,  no  chance 


244  A-  D-  20°° 

of  fate  can  set  apart.  Though  years  and  years  have 
fled  and  passed,  yet  life  shall  once  again  renew  her 
heart! " 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Weeks  passed,  and  Junius  Cobb  still  remained  the 
guest  of  the  President.  He  investigated  the  many 
marvelous  subjects  which  presented  themselves  to 
his  view.  He  studied  and  learned,  and  became  fa- 
miliar with  his  new  life.  He  visited  New  York 
and  other  large  cities  in  his  vicinity,  and  noted 
their  growth  and  progress.  He  was  astonished  to 
find  New  York  a  city  of  over  four  millions  of  people, 
and  covering  nearly  two  hundred  square  miles  of 
territory. 

He  visited  the  great  tunnels  which  connect  East 
and  West  New  York  to  the  city  proper,  Brooklyn 
and  Jersey  City  having  become  a  corporate  part  of 
New  York  City.  The  double  streets  of  the  city  were 
a  wonderful  realization  pf  what  the  needs  of  a  great 
commercial  center  will  demand  of  its  people. 
From  One  Hundredth  street  south,  and  over  the 
whole  island  from  the  East  to  the  North  River, 
was  a  double  street — a  city  on  top  of  a  city.  The 
lower  streets  were  the  originals,  and  were  paved 
with  roughened  glass.  On  one  side,  covered,  and 
just  below  the  street  level,  were  the  great  sewers 
of  the  city.  The  height  from  lower  to  upper  street 
was  twenty  feet.  In  the  center  of  Lower  Broad- 
way, Lower  Fourth,  Sixth,   and  Ninth  Avenues  (for 

245 


246  •  A.    D.    2000 

such  the  under  streets  were  designated),  and  below 
the  level  of  the  pavement,  was  a  double  tunnel 
carrying  the  rapid-transit  electric  trains.  These 
trains  were  composed  of  light,  cylindrical  cars, 
about  ten  feet  in  diameter;  they  had  no  windows, 
light  being  obtained  from  electricity.  The  air  was 
received  through  ventilators,  a  steady  stream  of 
pure,  fresh  air  being  kept  circulating  through  the 
tunnels  by  immense  fans.  Automatic  indices  gave 
Warning  of  the  different  stations.  The  normal  speed 
of  these  trains  was  forty  miles  per  hour,  and  stops 
were  made  at  every  half-mile  between  Three  Hun- 
dred and  Fifty-third  street  and  the  Battery,  East 
New  York  (Brooklyn);  and  West  New  York  (Jersey 
City).  Handsome  stations  along  the  line,  connected 
by  hydraulic  lifts  with  the  upper-street  stations, 
enabled  the  passengers  to  quickly  take  the  surface 
lines  to  all  parts  of  the  city.  All  vehicles  devoted 
to  business  purposes  were  confined  to  the  lower 
streets,  and  all  merchandise,  also,  was  here  received 
and  shipped.  In  the  roof  of  the  street  were  the  water- 
pipes,  electric  light,  telephone,  power,  and  other 
wires — all  easy  of  access.  Like  the  lower,  the  up- 
per streets  and  sidewalks  were  of  glass,  which  was 
molded  into  huge  blocks,  these  resting  on  steel 
girders  running  across  and  down  the  streets.  The 
sidewalks  were  light  gray,  and  the  street  light  steel- 
color.  The  thickness  of  these  blocks  of  glass  was 
four  inches,  and  the  light  transmitted  to  the  under- 
street    had    nearly    its    natural    intensity.     On    the 


A.    D.    2000  247 

upper  streets,  light  electric  cars  ran  in  every  direc- 
tion, stopping  whenever  desired.  These  surface 
trains  were  peculiar  in  that  they  sat  two  feet  above 
the  pavement,  held  aloft  and  in  position  by  two 
wide  but  thin  rods  of  steel  passing  through  a  slot 
in  the  street,  the  trucks  for  the  cars  running  upon 
a  roadbed  just  under  the  center  of  the  street,  or  in 
the  roof  of  the  lower  street.  Upon  inquiry,  he  was 
informed  that  the  reasons  for  the  elevation  of  the 
cars  and  the  subterranean  roadway  were  to  avoid 
accidents;  as  a  person  who  was  so  unfortunate  as  to 
be  struck  by  a  train  would  be  knocked  down  but 
passed  over  by  the  elevated  car  without  much  injury, 
the  steel  bars  having  rounded  guards  in  front  to 
push  any  object  aside.  Cobb  observed  that  the 
entrances  to  all  of  the  houses,  stores,  theatres, 
churches,  hotels,  etc.,  were  on  the  upper  streets; 
and  also,  that  access  to  the  lower  streets  was  ob- 
tained at  every  street-corner  by  flights  of  broad 
steps.  He  noticed  that  the  streets  and  sidewalks 
were  perfectly  clean,  and  that  an  air  of  care,  atten- 
tion, and  good  order  seemed  to  prevail.  Light  car- 
riages to  horses,  electric  drags,  and  such  lighter  ve- 
hicles as  are  used  for  transportation  of  persons 
only,  were  alone  permitted  upon  the  upper  streets. 
At  short  distances  upon  either  side  of  the  street 
were  electric  lamps,  while  at  one  of  the  corners  of 
each  cross-street  was  a  combination  post  of  fine  and 
handsome  make.  At  the  base  it  was  about  two 
feet    square,    decreasing    in    size    to    about    eight 


248  A.     D.    2000 

inches  at  a  height  of  six  feet,  the  whole  surmounted 
by  a  white  glass  shaft,  twenty-five  feet  in  length. 
These  posts  were  for  a  variety  of  purposes.  The 
lower  part  contained  the  carbons,  materials,  etc., 
for  the  electric  lights  which  were  placed  upon  the 
top;  the  next  compartment  was  for  the  reception  of 
mail  matter;  above  these  two  were  the  fire-alarm 
and  police  boxes,  while  on  either  side  were  the 
hydrant  nozzles.  Just  under  the  lamp  were  the 
names  of  the  two  streets  and  the  ward  of  the  city. 
The  street  name  was  also  set  into  the  sidewalk 
under  foot,  in  different  colors — two  names  on  each 
corner.  Red  names  indicated  a  north  direction; 
white,  east;   blue,  south;  and  green,  west. 

Asking  Hugh,  who  was  with  him,  if  they  had  any 
improved  method  of  removing  the  snow  during  the 
winter — for  he  remembered  with  what  difficulty 
the  streets  of  New  York  had  been  cleared  of  their 
snow  in  his  time — he  was  informed  that  very  little 
snow  fell  in  New  York,  or,  in  fact,  along  the  coast 
as  far  north  as  Maine. 

"How  is  that?"  exclaimed  Cobb,  in  surprise. 
"You  haven't  changed  the  seasons,  have  you?" 

'Yes,"  nonchalantly. 
What!" 

"We  have  changed  the  possibility  of   a    frightful 
winter  into  the  reality  of  a  very  even  and    uniform 
temperature,"  he  continued. 
What  haven't  you  done?" 

"Well,  we  haven't  made    a  California   climate  by 


A.    D.    2000 


249 


our  work,  but  we  have  vastly  decreased  the  severity 
of  our  Eastern  winters,"   he   laughingly  replied. 

"And  how  have  you  accomplished  this  great 
change?  "   Cobb  asked. 

"Here  is  the  Metropolitan  Club,"  as  they  came 
to  a  grand  edifice  near  Union  Square;  "let  us  go 
in,  have  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  I  will  explain  the 
methods  pursued  to  work  this  beneficial  change  of 
climate." 

"Do  you  know,"  asked  Hugh,  as  he  filled  two 
glasses  with  champagne,  after  they  had  become 
seated  in  one  of  the  reception-rooms  of  the  club; 
"do  you  know  why  New  York  and  the  coast  to  Nova 
Scotia  is  so  much  colder  than  the  Pacific  coast  of 
equal  latitude?" 

"Certainly.  On  the  Pacific,  we  have  the  Kuro 
Sivo,  or  Japanese  current,  touching  the  coast;  while 
on  the  Atlantic  the  Gulf  Stream  is  driven  off  the 
coast  from  about  the  mouth  of  the  James  River,  by 
an  arctic  current  coming  around  Newfoundland  and 
flowing  close  to  the  coast. " 

"Exactly.  And  if  this  arctic  current  could  be 
checked,  or  driven  off,  then  what?" 

"Why,  the  Gulf  Stream  would  bring  its  waters 
close  to  the  shore,  and  the  temperature  would  be 
raised." 

"That's  it,  precisely.  And  that  is  just  what  we 
have  done. " 

"How  have  you  done  this,  pray?" 

"The  waters  of  the  arctic  current,"  said  Hugh,  as 


250  A.    D.    2000 

he  lighted  a  fresh  cigar,  and  settled  himself  back 
in  his  chair,  "come  down  Davis  Strait  with  icy 
dullness  and  sweep  around  Newfoundland,  over 
the  banks  and  along  the  eastern  coast.  This  is  the 
main  current.  By  the  northerly  point  of  Newfound- 
land projecting,  as  it  does,  into  the  Atlantic, 
a  second  or  minor  current  is  evolved  which  passes 
through  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isle.  This  current, 
three  miles  wide  by  twenty-five  fathoms  deep,  flows 
at  a  rapid  pace  through  the  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence, and  turns  sharp  around  Cape  Breton  and  flows 
south.  Its  icy  waters,  as  they  reach  the  Gulf 
Stream,  chill  the  latter  for  miles  along  the  coast, 
finally  disappearing  under  the  stream  about  the 
mouth  of  the  James  River.  If  it  was  not  for  this 
minor  current,  the  Gulf  Stream  would  touch  our 
eastern  shores  to  the  banks  of  Newfoundland;  of 
course,  more  or  less  chilled  by  the  arctic  current, 
which  would  impinge  upon  and  sink  under  the  Gulf 
Stream  off  the  southwest  extremity  of  the  banks. 
Knowing  this,  we  have  closed  up  Belle  Isle  Strait, 
save  a  ship  passage." 

"That  must  have  been  a  huge  undertaking,"  re- 
marked Cobb. 

"Yes,  it  was.      But  it  was  done,  nevertheless." 

"How?" 

"By  very  hard  and  costly  work,  and  very  little  sci- 
ence. On  the  southern  coast  of  Labrador,  near  the 
straits,  are  large  and  vast  quarries  of  granite.' 
Thousands    upon   thousands    of    tons  of    this   were 


A.    D.    2000  251 

quarried  out,  and  when  winter  came  and  Belle  Isle 
Straits  were  frozen  over,  a  double  track  was  laid 
across  the  straits,  on  the  ice;  large  holes  cut  through, 
and  the  granite  blocks  brought  and  thrown  into  the 
water.  Accurate  charts  were  made  of  each  year's 
work,  so  that  the  material  should  always  fall  upon 
the  same  line.  In  four  years  the  work  was  finished. 
The  sediment  brought  down  by  the  arctic  current 
soon  filled  all  the  interstices,  and  to-day  the  dam 
is  perfect,  preventing  any  entrance  of  the  waters  of 
Davis  Strait  into  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  except 
through  a  narrow  channel  for  the  passage  of  ves-' 
sels.  Four  hundred  million  cubic  feet  of  material 
was  used  in  this  work." 

Thus,  little  by  little,  did  Cobb  learn  of  the  rea- 
sons and  wherefores  of  the  many  innovations  and 
changes  which  he  constantly  saw  about  him.  The 
days  came  and  passed;  Cobb  finding  delight  in  the 
society  of  Mollie  Craft,  and  pleasure  and  instruc- 
tion in  that  of  Hugh,  her  brother. 

And  then,  when  alone,  came  the  dream  wherein 
the  angel  had  led  Marie  Colchis  to  him  and  had 
spoken  the  prophetic  words.  Words  prophetic  of 
what?  he  asked  himself.  Long  and  long  did  he 
ponder  over  the  vision.  His  was  a  nature  to  love 
and  to  desire  love  in  return.  To  him,  woman  was 
an  angel,  a  being  divine.  Desolate  and  alone,  his 
heart  demanded  a  companion.  He  admired  Mollie 
Craft;  did  he  love  her?  And  when  he  asked  the 
question  of  himself,  he  could  give    no    satisfactory 


252  A.    D.    2000 

reply.  But  of  one  fact  he  felt  assured:  if  he 
loved  her,  he  loved  his  lost  Marie  more.  Yet  she 
his  Marie,  was  dead:  was  it  wrong  for  him  to  seek 
for  a  companion  to  soothe  the  desolation  of  his 
heart,  especially  one  embodying  such  virtues  as 
Mollie  Craft?  May  not  the  vision  have  been  given 
for  such  an  interpretation?  he  argued:  he  did  not 
know. 

One  day  in  the  latter  part  of  November,  as  he  and 
Mollie  were  sitting  by  the  cheerful  fire  in  the  pri- 
vate parlor  of  the  executive  mansion,  he  looked  in- 
tently into  her  eyes,  and  sadly  asked: 

"Do  you  not  think  me  sad  at  times,  Mollie?" 

He  called  her  Mollie,  and  she  called  him  Jun 
iusj  such  was  the  President's  request,  as  he  con- 
sidered Junius  Cobb  his  adopted  son. 

"Yes,  Junius;  and  it  often  pains  me  to  think 
that,  perhaps,  we  are  not  doing  all  that  we  oughl 
to  make  your  life  happy." 

"Would  you  do  more  if  you  could?"  and  he  fixed 
his  eyes  with  a  loving  expression  upon  hers,  which 
fell  at  his  glance. 

"I  am  sure,  Junius,  that  never  was  a  sister — " 
and  she  emphasized  the  word — "more  ready  and  will- 
ing to  make  a  brother  happy,  than  I." 

"Were  you  ever  in  love,  Mollie?"  He  jerked  the 
words  out  as  if  fearful  of  the  answer  she  might 
give. 

"Why!   what  a  question!  " 

"But  were  you?"  he  persisted. 


A.    D.     2000  253 

"Now,  Junius,  that  is  not  fair,  to  ask  a  girl  such 
a  question.  Were  you  ever  in  love?"  She  laughed, 
but  anxiously  awaited  his  answer. 

"Yes."  He  spoke  slowly  and  with  an  absent  air. 
"Twice  have  I  known  what  it  was  to  love  a  woman." 

A  tear  seemed  to  glisten  in  his  eye  as  his  mem- 
ory carried  him  back  a  hundred  years. 

"Twice?"    inquiringly 

"Yes;  or  rather  might  I  say,  once  to  love  a  woman, 
and  once  to  love  a  child." 

"You  surprise  me  greatly,  Junius.  Will  you  not 
make  a  confidant  of  me  and  tell  me  all  about 
your  loves?"  and  she  put  her  hand  upon  his  shoul- 
der. 

That  touch,  so  gentle  and  light,  sent  a  thrill  of 
pleasure  through  his  heart.  He  turned  and  seized 
her  hands  in  his,  and  looked  long  and  lovingly  into 
her  eyes. 

"Can  man  forswear  his  soul?"  he  cried,  harshly, 
while  his  tight  grasp  of  her  hands  gave  her  pain. 

"Do  not  hurt  me,  Junius!"  she  cried,  trying  to 
free  her  hands.  He  released  her,  and  sat  down  in 
his  chair. 

"I  did  not  mean  to  hurt  you,  Mollie.  I  am  torn 
by  contending  passions  of  right  and  wrong.  My 
soul  is  athirst.  I  long  to  quench  its  burning  fires, 
but  dare  not  speak  my  thoughts.  Alone  in  a  new 
world,  I  am  barren  of  kith  or  kin  to  fill  the  aching 
void  in  my  heart.  And,  though  knowing  this,  yet 
am  I  bound  by  chains  of  honor,  respect  and  manly 


!54 


A.    D.    2000 


devotion  from  speaking  the  words  which  might,  per- 
chance, secure  me  that  greatest  of  God's  blessings 
to  man,   a  woman's  love." 

He  bowed  his  head,  and  remained  silent. 

Mollie  Craft  was  no  child,  no  affected  school- 
girl, nor  hardened  society  woman.  She  was  a  true, 
noble-hearted  being,  and  read  this  man's  secret  with- 
out his  lips  framing  its  confession:    he    loved    her. 

With  sorrow  in  her  voice,  she  said: 

"Junius,  you  are  not  alone  in  the  world.  You 
have  a  father,  mother,  brother,  and  sister,  though  not 
of  the  same  blood,  yet  are  they  as  loving  as  your 
own  relatives  could  be." 

"I  know,"  he  returned;  "but  my  heart  craves 
more — a  being  like  you,  Mollie,  to  love  me  and  be 
loved  by  me  in  return." 

It  was  out.  He  had  avowed  his  love  but  not  in 
such  passionate  terms  as  one  would  have  used  if  a 
reply  had  been  expected.  He  meant  not  to  ask  her 
heart  and  hand;  he  merely  told  her  what  his  heart 
craved. 

She  made  no  answer;   gave  no  reply. 

Then,  with  a  burst  of  increased  sadness,  Cobb  con- 
tinued: 

"I  crave  this  love,  Mollie,  but  cannot  ask  for  it. 
I  have  already  given  my  pledge  to  a  woman — have 
promised  to  marry  none  but  her." 

"Then,  Junius,  you  should  not  break  that  prom- 
ise," and  a  relieved  expression  came  over  the  fair 
face. 


A.    D.    2000 


255 


"But  she  can  never  be  mine;  she  is  dead!  "  and 
the  strong  man  bowed  his  head  and  wept  like  a 
child. 

Going  up  to  him,  she  put  her  arms  about  his  neck, 
and  kissed  him  on  the  forehead,  then  silently  left 
the  room. 

As  the  dial  in  the  executive  mansion  sounded  the 
hour  of  22  that  night,  a  figure  wrapped  in  a  black 
cloak  stole  silently  from  the  rear  entrance  of  the 
building,  through  the  gardener's  gate  and  into  the 
conservatory.  An  instant  later  and  a  tall  man  had 
clasped  her  in  his  arms,  and  lovingly  pressed  her  to 
his  heart. 

"Ah,  Lester,  you  are  waiting  for  me,"  looking  up 
into  his  manly  face. 

"Yes.  dearest;  waiting  and  watching.  These 
moments  by  your  side,  stolen  though  they  are,  be- 
come the  happiest  in  my  life.  Ah,  Mollie!  would 
that  you  could  be  with  me  forever.  Why  must  I 
thus  always  beat  about  the  bush  to  seek  your  soci- 
ety?" 

Reluctantly  he  released  her,  but  held  one  dainty 
hand  in  his,  as  he  led  her  to  a  wicker  seat  just  be- 
side the  daisy  rows  at  the  lower  end  of  the  conserv- 
atory and  seated  himself  by  her  side. 

Throwing  her  large  black  cloak  over  the  back  of 
the  seat,  Mollie  turned  her  great  blue  eyes  toward 
her  lover. 

"Why  must  you  seek  me  thus  stealthily,  Lester, 
you  ask?     You  know." 


256  A.     1>.2000 

Her  eyes  dropped,  and  a  shade  of  shame  over- 
spread her  fair  face. 

"Yes,  I  know.  For  you  have  told  me  that  your 
father  has  taken  a  dislike  to  me  in  particular,  and 
against  all  army  officers  as  suitors  for  your  hand  in 
general.  But  he  can  find  no  cause  to  be  prejudiced 
against  me — at  least,  none  that  I  am  aware  of,"  look- 
ing into  her  eyes  inquiringly. 

"No,  Lester,"  quickly  returned  the  girl,  "he  can 
certainly  find  no  stain  upon  your  character,  else  his 
daughter  would  not  have  entered  here  to-night  to 
meet  you."  This  with  a  proud  knowledge  that, 
wrong  as  she  was  in  disobeying  her  father's  wishes, 
she  was  conscious  of  the  nobleness  of  her  lover's 
character. 

.  "'Tis  the  old  story,  Lester,"  she  continued,  after 
a  moment — "a  father's  ambition.  Papa  is  ambi- 
tious, but  his  ambition  no  longer  centers  in  him- 
self, but  in  his  children.  Reaching,  as  he  has,  to 
the  highest  position  within  the  gift  of  the  nation, 
he  hopes  to  see  his  children,  when  he  descends 
from  his  station,  still  moving  onward  and  upward 
toward  renown,  popularity,  and — and — O  Lester,  I 
hate  to  say  it — wealth." 

She  hung  her  head  as  if  ashamed  to  confess  that 
her  father  for  a  moment  considered  pecuniary  mat- 
ters in  connection  with  the  disposal  of  her  hand. 

Taking  her  hand  in  his,  he  calmly  said: 

"Mollie,  I  blame  him  not.  'Tis  a  father's  first 
duty  to  seek  the  welfare  of  his  children.     But,  dar- 


A.     D.     2000  257 

ling,"  drawing  her  toward  him,  "though  I  have  not 
wealth,  yet  have  I  my  pay  as  a  Captain  in  the  army, 
a  sum  sufficient  to  enable  me  to  provide  a  cozy, 
happy  home  for  us.  Do  you  not  think  it  would  be 
cozy  and  happy?"  looking  tenderly  into  her  eyes, 
which  had  been  raised  and  turned  upon  him  as  he 
spoke. 

"Ah,  Lester,  to  me,  yes,"  she  returned,  petting 
the  hand  that  held  hers.  "I  am  your  promised 
wife,  Lester — promised  by  me,  but  not  by  my  father. 
Let  us  hope,  dearest,  that  time  will  make  some 
change 'in  his  determination  to  find  a  suitor  of 
greater  wealth;  he  could  not  find  one  more  noble," 
blushing  sweetly  at  the  confession. 

Lester  Hathaway  drew  her  closer  to  him,  and 
kissed  her  rich,  red  lips  in  appreciation  of  her  kind 
and  loving  words. 

"We  will  hope,"  he  said,  as  she  modestly  drew 
away.  "I  dislike,  dearest,  as  much  as  you,  to  have 
our  meetings  clandestine,  but  I  could  not  live 
throughout  the  day  without  at  least  a  moment  of 
your  sweet  society.  You  do  not  blame  me,  Mollie, 
do  you?"  lovingly  pressing  the  hand  that  lay  in  his. 

"Of  course  not,  Lester,  if  you  say  so;  for  I  be- 
lieve you  to  be  the  very  soul  of  truth,"  she  re- 
turned, smiling  archly. 

"And   when  I  avow    that    no    fairer   woman    ever 

lived,  that  my  heart  beats  but  in  love  for  you,  that 

I  adore  you,  Mollie,  you  believe  me  sincere,  do  you 

not,  dearest?"  and    his  arm  stole   gently  about  her 

A,  D.  2000     17 


258  A.    D.    2O0O 

slender  waist,  drawing  her  unresisting  form  closer 
to  his  heart. 

"Lester,  my  own,  I  do;  and  your  love  is  recipro- 
cated with  all  the  depth  of  my  heart."  She  spoke 
with  truth  and  pathos. 

Raising  her  face  to  his,  he  looked  into  her  eyes. 

"You  will  marry  none  other  than  me?  You  will 
wait  until  I  can  claim  you  from  your  father? 
Speak,  dearest." 

"1  will,"  came  the  words,  lowly  but  lovingly 
spoken. 

He  kissed  her  lips  even  as  the  words  were  ut- 
tered. 

"Now,  Lester,  I  have  something  to  communicate 
to  you,"  continued  Mollie,  as  Hathaway  finally 
released  her.  "Mr.  Cobb  half  proposed  to  me  to- 
day," and  she  related  the  whole  conversation. 
"Now,  Lester;  I  could  not  tell  him  I  was  en- 
gaged. He  loves  me,  I  can  see  it;  but  he  is  labor- 
ing under  the  restrictions  which  an  honorable  heart 
has  imposed.  If  he  succeeds  in  holding  to  his 
sense  of  duty,  he  will  never  ask  me  to  be  his  wife; 
if  he  wavers,  I  may  expect  an  open  declaration. 
Be  not  angry  with  him,  Lester.  He  knows  not  our 
relations;  for  if  he  did,  his  lips  would  be  sealed 
forever.  I  know  the  honorable  and  true  heart  that 
beats  within  his  breast." 

"What  will  you  do?  You  should  not  have  en- 
couraged his  love,"  reprovingly  said  Hathaway. 

"I,  Lester?     I  did  not  encourage  it.     I  tried  from 


A.    D.    2000  259 

the  first  to  teach  him  that  I  could  be  only  a  sister 
to  him.  I  know  not  what  to  do!  If  I  had  a  hand- 
some, jolly  girl  friend  to  come  and  remain  with  me 
for  a  month  or  two,  perhaps  his  thoughts  and  love 
might  be  transferred  to  her." 

"You  have  never  seen  my  sister,  dearest;  but  I 
think  she  would  meet  all  the  requirements,  exact- 
ly," with  an  air  of  pride. 

"O  Lester!  papa  wouldn't  like  to  have  your  sister 
come  as  a  guest  at  the  house,  and  be  compelled  to 
keep  the  brother  out;  and,  besides,  he  might  fear 
her  influence  in  your  behalf;  and  she  might  help 
your  case,  too,"  with  a  sly  glance. 

"That  would  be  terrible  intriguing,  wouldn't  it?" 
laughing.  'But  couldn't  she  come  as  somebody 
else?  your  friend,  for  instance,  at  school?" 

"Capital!  That's  it!  I  will  introduce  her  as 
Miss  Marie  Colchester,  my  old  chum  at  Weldon. 
Send  for  her,  Lester;  and  when  she  comes  I  will 
meet  her  at  the  hotel  and  instruct  her  in  her  duties.  " 

"I  will  send  for  her  to-morrow." 

"But  I  had  forgotten;  is  she  engaged,  or  in  love?" 

"Neither;  I  am  positive  of  it." 

"And  you  will  send  for  her  to-morrow?" 

"Yes,  my  darling.  She  will  be  here  by  the  20th 
of  the  month." 

"Good!  And  now,  Lester,  you  may  have  just  one 
kiss,  and  I  must  go." 

She  put  up  her  lips,  and  raised  on  the  tips  of  her 
toes  to  meet  his  kiss. 


260  A.     D.    2000 

"Oh! — oh! — don't  smother  me,  Lester,"  disengag- 
ing herself. 

"Will  I  see  you  here  to-morrow  evening?"  he  anx- 
iously asked. 

"I  don't  know;  but  you  can  come,"  laughing  as 
she  passed  through  the  door. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

The  evening  following  his  interview  with  Mollie 
found  Cobb  in  better  spirits  and  more  cheerful. 
He  had  not  seen  her  since  the  day  before,  as  she 
had  complained  of  a  slight  indisposition  and  had 
remained  in  her  room. 

Seated  in  the  library  of  the  President,  and  in  his 
accustomed  place — for  Cobb  came  nearly  every  even- 
ing to  hear  Mr.  Craft  discourse  on  the  topics  of 
the  day,  and  to  narrate,  in  his  turn,  the  events  con- 
temporary with  his  former  existence — he  reminded 
his  friend  that  he  had  promised  to  explain  the  law 
system  of  the  present  day,  and  to  discuss  its  mer- 
its and  defects. 

"And  right  happy  I  am,  my  dear  boy,"  returned 
the  President,  "to  sit  and  chat  with  you  on  these 
subjects,  which,  in  many  cases  and  under  many 
phases,  may  strike  you  as  being  worthless,  absurd, 
and  detrimental  to  a  just  definition  of  the  princi- 
ples of  sound  common  law." 

"You  will  hardly  surprise  me  by  any  innovation 
upon  the  law  of  my  time,"  said  Cobb;  "knowing,  as 
I  do,  that  the  age  is  progressing.  It  could  not  have 
taken  a  retrograde  movement  in  common  law — not 
the  law  itself,  but  its  definition  and  interpretation 
in  the  courts." 

261 


262  A.    D.    2000 

"The  laws  of  the  land  have  been  greatly  modified 
and  simplified.  No  longer  are  the  bickerings, 
snarlings,  personal  abuse  and  ungentlemanly  conduct 
of  the  opposing  counsel  permitted  in  the  courts. 
Decorum  is  strictly  observed,  and  justice — pure, 
plain  justice,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  for  human  minds 
to  discern  it — is  meted  out  to  the  culprit  at  the  bar, 
the  defendant  or  the  appellant  in  the  case." 

"If  such  is  now  the  condition  of  your  courts  and 
your  law,  you  are  worthy  of  man's  sincere  praise 
and  thanks.  The  farce  daily  enacted  in  the  courts 
of  1887  was  a  disgrace  to  an  enlightened  and  civil- 
ized community." 

"The  root  of  the  innovation  was  the  substitution 
of  a  plain  and  simple  code  of  laws  for  the  cum- 
brous shelves  of  State  and  national  codes  existing 
during  your  time.  There  is  now  one  universal  code 
of  laws  for  the  nation,  whole  or  integral.  Every 
crime  known  to  man  is  laid  down  fully  and  plainly, 
and  one,  and  only  one,  punishment  ordained  for 
the  guilty." 

"But  does  this  not  work  more  harshly  against 
those  of  otherwise  good  reputation  than  against  the 
habitual  criminal?" 

"Possibly.  But  to  avoid  that  greatest  of  evils 
— the  giving  of  different  sentences  for  exactly  the 
same  crimes,  and  committed  under  almost  similar 
conditions — the  universal  code  was  established. 
Now  every  man  knows  exactly  the  punishment  fixed 
for  those  guilty  of  any  particular  crime.     There  is 


D.    2000 


263 


no  such  thing  as  irrelevant  testimony.  The  desire 
of  justice  is  to  know  every  circumstance  connected 
with  the  commission  of  the  crime.  Yet  limits  to 
the  continuance  of  testimony  in  certain  directions 
are  fixed.  The  desire  now  is  not  to  defeat  the 
just  endeavors  of  man  to  obtain  his  rights  -not  to 
punish  the  accused  because  he  is  accused,  but  to 
quickly  dispense  justice  to  all.  The  most  radical 
change  in  the  dispensing  of  justice  is  the  discontin- 
uance of  the  jury  system    in  vogue    up  to   1926 a 

system  faulty  in  the  extreme;  a  system  where 
twelve  men  of  widely  different  characters,  educa- 
tion, religious  principles,  and  ideas  of  justice,  were 
expected  to  each  and  individually  concur  in  one 
particular  finding,  and  where  a  single  dissenting 
voice  required  the  trial  to  be  held  again,  before  a 
similar  enlightened  jury,  or  the  accused  discharged. 
In  fact,  during  the  jury  system,  it  was  the  endeavor 
of  counsel  to  impanel  a  jury  of  ignoramuses,  a  jury 
of  men  who  had  not  read  of  the  events  of  the  day,  or 
if  they  had  read  them,  then  of  such  infantile,  idi- 
otic minds  as  to  have  reached  no  conclusion  upon 
the  case  whatever.  That  system  is  obsolete,'  thank- 
God  !  Outside  of  the  police  courts,  which  have  a 
single  judge  who  hears  and  determines  the  case, 
and  whose  powers  are  very  limited,  we  have  the 
Dom  Coda,  or  house  of  justice,  in  which  all  cases 
are  tried  in  which  the  punishment  does  not  exceed 
a  certain  fixed  standard.  This  house  is  presided 
over  by  three  judges,  and  to  them  is  the  testimony 


264  A.    D.    2000 

given,  by  them  heard,  and  by  them  is  judgment 
rendered.  They  are  lawyers,  and  understand  the 
law.  Next  comes  the  Gledom  Coda,  or  superior 
court,  presided  over  by  five  judges.  Here  are  heard 
the  highest  criminal  cases.  The  Legledom  Coda. 
or  supreme  court,  is  the  highest  in  the  State,  and 
is  presided  over  by  nine  judges.  There  are  Doms 
Coda  and  Gledoms  Coda  for  civil  cases,  likewise." 
"But  suppose  one  is  dissatisfied  with  his  trial; 
what  then?" 

"He  appeals  it,  as  formerly;  but  with  this  knowl- 
edge and  understanding;  If  the  higher  court  finds 
him  guilty,  the  penalty  fixed  by  the  lower  court  is 
doubled,  provided  such  a  sentence  is  possible." 

"Humph!  I  should  think  guilty  people  would  hes- 
itate about  appealing." 

"Indeed  they  do.  It  is  not  often  that  an  ap- 
pealed case  is  decided  against  the  appellant;  and 
for  the  very  reason  you  have  advanced,  that  if 
guilty,  they  stand  by  the  finding  given  in  the  lower 
court." 

"Does  not  this  system  give  opportunities  for  brib- 
ery and  jobbery?" 

"The  opportunities  may  exist,  but  the  practice  is 
one  of  the  rarest  crimes  known  in  the  calendar. 
The  punishment  for  conviction  of  bribery  of,  or 
corruption  in,  a  judge,  is  life  imprisonment  in 
the  government  prisons;  and  to  the  person  accom- 
plishing it,  a  similar  sentence;  while  to  attempt 
it  is  a  twenty  years'  offense." 


A.    D.     2000  2b$ 

"Severe  punishments,  compared  with  those  of  for- 
mer times,"  was  Cobb's  remark. 

"Yes,  very  severe,  But  a  good  government 
needs  and  demands  a  good  and  true  corps  of 
judges  to  settle,  justly,  the  individual  disputes  of 
its  people,  and  to  protect  them  in  their  lives,  lib- 
erty and  property. " 

"I  should  imagine  that  the  system  is  very  expen- 
sive— the  salary  of  so  many  judges?" 

"Not  nearly  as  expensive  as  the  summoning  of 
jurors,  their  per  diem  pay,  the  delays  in  justice,  and 
the  many  incidentals  of  cost  in  trials  in  former 
years.  One  Dom  and  one  Gledom  Coda  serves 
for  15,000  people.  The  salary  lists  are  $12,000  and 
$25,000,  respectively;  or  three  dollars  per  capita 
to  insure  justice.  The  judges  serve  until  seventy 
years  of  age,  unless  removed  for  incapacity  or  for 
commission  of  crime.  The  lease  of  office  is  thus, 
practically,  for  life,  the  salary  high,  the  honor 
great,  and  self-interest  makes  the  man  honest." 

"I  think  it  a  good  innovation,"  exclaimed    Cobb. 

"No  doubt  you  would  like  to  hear  of  the  prison 
system  as  it  exists  to-day;  for  it  is  directly  con- 
nected, of  course,  with  the  law?" 

"Certainly.  I  have  wondered  if  there  was  any 
change." 

"Each  State  has  its  own  prison,  wherein  are  incar- 
cerated all  convicts  whose  sentence  is  less  than  five 
years.  All  others  are  sent  to  the  government  pris- 
ons.     Of  these    latter  prisons,    there    are  ten,  situ- 


266  A.    D.    2060 

ated  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  but  all  on  islands 
and  isolated  from  communication  with  the  world 
except  by  government  vessels.  The  island  of  Anti- 
costi,  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  is  the  main 
Eastern  prison ;  then,  there  are  those  of  Tiburon,  in 
the  Gulf  of  California;  Great  Abicos,  among  the 
Bahamas;  Charlotte's  Island,  in  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
and  others.  These  are  prisons  belonging  to  the  gov- 
ernment, and  no  convicts  are  sent  to  them  whose 
sentence  is  less  than  five  years.  Here  are  manufact- 
ured every  conceivable  thing  needed  by  the  gov- 
ernment, and  for  which  it  would  have  to  pay  cash, 
did  it  not  make  it  itself.  Great  ship-yards,  from 
which  are  turned  out  magnificent  vessels  of  war; 
foundries,  in  which  immense  and  powerful  guns  are 
fabricated;  looms  and  workshops  for  the  clothing 
of  the  army  and  navy;  factories  for  boots,  shoes, 
furniture,  ironware,  and  thousands  of  other  arti- 
cles that  the  various  departments  of  the  government 
require.  In  fact,  the  manufactured  articles  are  few 
that  the  government  has  to  buy  by  contract.  The 
raw  material,  however,  is  purchased  and  sent  to 
the  prisons,  and  there  fabricated  into  the  articles 
needed.  As  no  convict  comes  with  less  sentence 
than  five  years,  ample  time  is  available  in  which  to 
teach  him  such  a  trade  as  will  give  to  the  govern- 
ment the  greatest  benefit  from  his  labor.  The 
working  system  of  the  prisons  is  admirable  in  the 
extreme.  The  convicts  are  well  fed  and  clothed, 
and  required  to  work  a  given  number  of  hours,  only, 


A.    D.     2000  267 

a  day,  depending  upon  the  fatigue  of  the  labor. 
Good  conduct  remits  four  days  in  each  month,  or 
fifty-two  days  in  each  year;  extra  work,  when  avail- 
able, is  furnished  to  them,  and  credited  at  the  rate 
of  the  number  of  hours  of  that  particular  service 
per  day,  as  so  many  days  of  their  sentence  served. 
This  system  prevails  in  all  of  the  State  prisons,  but, 
of  course,  upon  a  minor  scale.  In  them  only  such 
articles  are  manufactured  as  are  required  and  used 
by  the  State  governments." 

"How  about  pardons  from  these  prisons?"  in- 
quired Cobb. 

"The  President  alone  has  the  power  of  pardoning 
from  national  prisons;  the  governors,  from  State 
prisons.  At  each  prison  is  a  Legledom  Coda,  and 
a  pardon  is  never  issued  except  this  court  has  ex- 
amined the  case  and  recommended  it.  The  Legle- 
dom Coda  of  each  prison  also  tries  all  cases  of  in- 
fraction of  the  laws  of  the  prison,  and  fixes  the  pun- 
ishment for  the  same.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  few, 
very  few,  pardons  are  given,  and  then  only  when  it 
is  apparent  from  subsequent  evidence  that  an  in- 
justice has  been  done  a  man." 

"What  are  considered  among  the  gravest  crimes?" 

"Murder,  perjury,  rape,  receiving  of  bribes,  or 
giving  of  same,  corruption  in  office,  arson,  mayhem, 
premeditated  and  willful.  These  are  all  life  im- 
prisonment offenses,  and  there  is  no  reduction  of 
sentence  for  any  reason." 


268  A.    T).    2000 

"But  does  not  this  convict  labor  compete  with 
the  labor  of  the  masses?"  asked  Cobb. 

"How  can  it?  If  the  government  needs  a  million 
dollars'  worth  of  manufactured  articles,  one  of  two 
courses  must  be  pursued  to  obtain  them:  either  to 
buy  or  manufacture.  If  they  are  bought,  the  people 
are  taxed  to  pay  for  them ;  if  they  are  manufactured 
by  convict  labor,  the  tax-payers  save  just  that  amount 
of  money,  while  a  punishment  is  inflicted  upon  the 
worthless  class  by  causing  it  to  labor  without  reward.  " 

"True;  but  in  my  time  the  people  howled  and 
railed  against  convict  competition.  Now,  turning 
from  the  subject,  tell  me  if  there  are  many  labor 
troubles  at  the  present  day. " 

"None  worthy  of  the  name.  A  great  and  just  law 
was  advocated,  in  1920,  by  that  eminent  jurist,  At- 
torney-General William  Bean,  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
passed  the  next  year,  that  it  should  be  unlawful  for 
any  firm  or  corporation  carrying  on  any  manufact- 
ure, to  accumulate  in  any  one  calendar  year  a  profit 
in  excess  of  twenty  per  cent,  on  the  actual  money 
invested,  and  exclusive  of  that  invested  in  the 
plant.  Full  provision  was  made  in  the  bill  for 
examination  of  accounts,  books,  etc.  The  bill 
further  provided  that  each  person,  firm,  etc.,  should 
regulate  the  price  of  the  labor  employed  by  them. 
Then  further  laws  were  enacted  against  combined 
strikes,  intimidation  of  the  employed,  etc.  It  was 
a  wise  bill,  and  has  worked  advantageously  ever 
since  it  was  passed  by  Congress." 


A.    D.    2000  269 

"But  I  fail  to  see  its  benefits  to  the  laborer,"  du- 
biously returned  Cobb. 

"In  this  way,  Junius.  Twenty  per  cent,  interest 
on  the  money  invested  is  enough  to  satisfy  any  man, 
and  cause  him  to  advance  capital  and  embark  in 
manufactures.  Now,  if  the  wages  of  his  laborers 
are  fixed  by  him,  he  can  increase  them  just  as  much 
as  his  income  is  greater  than  twenty  per  cent.;  he 
must  do  it  or  cut  down  supply.  He  actually  divides 
the  surplus  over  twenty  per  cent,  among  his  men.  If 
competition  is  great  and  the  profits  less,  he  must 
cut  the  wages  or  increase  the  output  to  save  his  per- 
centage; but  if  he  is  willing  to  accept  fifteen  per 
cent.,  or  ten  per  cent.,  then  the  wages  remain  the 
same  as  before.  But  if  he  desires  to  cut  the 
wages,  it  is  his  right  by  the  law;  the  laborer  may 
work  for  it,  or  not.  As  a  truth,  though,  wages  are 
better  now  than  ever,  while  the  price  of  articles  has 
fallen  nearly  twenty-five  per  cent,  below  that  of 
1920." 

"Are  there  any  laws  relating  to  the  holding  of 
real  estate?"  Cobb  asked.  "I  remember  quite  an 
agitation  on  that  subject  during  the  '80s." 

"Yes;  one  general  law  only:  no  individual  not  a 
citizen  can  hold  land  in  the  United  States;  and  no 
one  citizen  can  hold,  in  his  own  name,  more  than 
640  acres,  or  one  square  mile." 

"A  good  and  wise  law.  In  my  time,  vast  tracts 
of  land  were  held  by  individuals  and  corporations, 
both  domestic  and  foreign." 


270  A.    D.    2000 

"It  was  so  until  the  Bean  bill  of  1920.  One  year 
after  the  passage  of  that  bill  was  given  to  foreign- 
ers to  dispose  of  their  real  estate,  and  five  years 
given  the  citizen  to  bring  his  holdings  within  the 
limit  of  the  law." 

"I  think  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  Rawolle  that  the 
government  owns  all  of  the  railroads  in  the  coun- 
try?" inquiringly. 

"Yes,  all;  and  likewise  the  telegraph  system. 
Furthermore,  each  city  owns  its  own  water  supply 
and  electric-light  plant.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
the  people,  and  not  the  capitalist,  own  and  govern 
the  country. " 

"What  is  the  rate  of  taxation — national  and  mu- 
nicipal?" 

"There  is  no  national  taxation  except  on  tobacco 
and  liquors.  Municipal  taxation  is  really  the  only 
burden,  if  it  can  be  called  a  burden,  which  the  peo- 
ple bear.  That  taxation  is  very  low  indeed,  and 
is  levied  under  certain  equitable  laws.  The  reve- 
nue of  the  nation  is  derived  from  customs,  liquor, 
tobacco,  and  the  excess  of  receipts  over  expendi- 
tures of  the  railroads,  telegraph  and  postal  serv- 
ice. " 

"And  how  about  the  rates  of  postage?" 

"The  rate  per  mile  for  railroad  traveling  is  one 
cent,  the  rate  for  telegraphic  messages  is  one  cent 
per  word,  and  letter  postage  one  cent  per  ounce, 
throughout  the  United  States." 

"Is  the  nation  in  debt?" 


D.    2000 


271 


"No;  the  nation  owes  not  a  dollar.  The  last  of 
what  we  call  the  great  debt  was  paid  in  1979.  It 
would  have  been  paid  long  before  that  time  had 
it  not  been  that  an  enormous  outlay  was  required 
to  gain  possession  of  the  railway  system  of  the 
country." 

"What  did  you  pay  for  the  telegraph  system? 
That  must  have  taken  another  immense  sum." 

"The  rights  of  the  sympathetic  telegraph  system 
were  purchased  in  1892,  for  five  millions  of  dollars, 
and  that  system  caused  all  of  the  surface  lines  to 
be  abandoned  in  a  few  years." 

"The  sympathetic  system,  did  you  say?"  and  Cobb 
showed  more  interest  than    he    had    evinced  in  the 
President's  dry  recital  of    the  law  of    the    country. 
"That  is  the  name  of  it,"   Mr.   Craft  replied. 
"Does  it  differ  much  from  the  Morse  system?" 
"Many  would  not  understand  your  question,  Jun- 
ius.    You  must  remember  that  the  system  has  been 
in  operation  for  over  a  hundred  years;    few  persons 
know  any    other.      Fortunately,     I  can    answer  your 
question,    for  I  have    studied    the    subject.      There 
is  practically  no    difference    between  the  two    sys- 
tems, save  in  one  respect — " 

"And  that  respect  is—"  interrupted  Cobb. 
"That  there  is  no  wire,  metal,  or  tangible  connec- 
tion of  any  kind  between  the  instruments." 

"What!   no  wire!      How,    then,   does  the    current 
pass?" 

"We  do  not  know!" 


272  A.     D.    2000 

"Well!  that  is  very  strange!  A  telegraph  system, 
and  its  principle  unknown!" 

"It  is  just  as  I  tell  you.  We  know  how  it  works, 
but  not  why." 

"And  was  the  principle  never  divulged  by  the  in- 
ventor?" 

"Never." 

"Surely,  he  taught  you  how  to  make  the  instru- 
ments?" 

"Oh,  yes;  or  the  system  would  have  been  of  little 
worth,"  and  Mr.  Craft  smiled  at  the  utter  amazement 
of  his  listener. 

"But  I  can  conceive  of  no  instrument  being  made 
by  human  hands  for  a  specific  purpose,  unless  the 
principle  upon  which  it  was  constructed  was  fully 
known,"  and  Junius  Cobb  shook  his  head  as  if 
doubting  the  statement  of  the  other. 

"The  sympathetic  telegraph  is,  however,  a  mani- 
fest success, "  continued  the  President.  "It  works 
over  miles  of  country  and  in  every  direction,  and 
at  each  station  records  the  pulsations  of  the  heart 
of  its  mate,  wheresoever  on  the  face  of  the  earth 
that  mate  may  be." 

"By  whom  was  this  wonderful  instrument  invent- 
ed?     Surely,  his  name  will  live  forever!" 

"Ah,  Junius,  you  are  right!  The  name  of  Jean 
Colchis   will — why,    Junius!    what    is    the    matter?" 

Cobb  had  sprung  from  his  chair  as  the  old  name, 
so  dear  to  him,  was  uttered.  He  moved  anxiously 
toward  the  President,  and    seized    him  by  the  arm, 


A.    D.    2000  273 

while  an  expression  of  hope,  of  fond  remembrance, 
came  into  his  eyes. 

"0,  tell  me,"  he  cried.  "Tell  me  of  this  Jean  Col- 
chis! of  his  daughter!  It  was  he,  you  have  said! 
There  never  was  but  one  Jean  Colchis !  It  must 
be  he — my  master!" 

"Calm  yourself,  Junius,"  hurriedly  exclaimed 
Mr.  Craft,  as  he  gently  laid  his  hand  upon  the 
young  man's  shoulder.  "Did  you  know  Jean  Col- 
chis?"  in  a  wondering  tone. 

"Ah!  did  I?  He  was  my  master!  It  was  he,  Mr. 
Craft,  who  invented  the  power  that  brought  me  to 
this  new  life!  "  Tears  came  into  his  manly  eyes  as 
he  remembered  his  benefactor  and  his  lovely 
daughter. 

"I  know  nothing  of  him,"  sadly  returned  Mr. 
Craft.  "He  was,  and  has  passed  out  of  life.  He 
lives  now  but  in  history  and  the  minds  of  the 
American  people."  A  dimness  came  into  his  eyes 
as  he  witnessed  the  emotion  of  the  other. 

"Where  is  the  evidence  of  his  skill,  of. his  inge- 
nuity? Where  can  I  behold  the  work  of  his  loved 
mind?" 

"If  you  desire,  Junius,  you  shall  visit  the  great 
theatre  of  action  of  hundreds  upon  hundreds  of  his 
wonderful  instruments — the  city  of  America,  on 
the  Central  Sea." 

Cobb  had  heard  the  announcement  of  his  old  mas- 
ter's wonderful    achievement    in    the  sciences  with 
astonishment  not  unmixed  with  joy. 
A.  D.  2000    18 


274  A-   D-  200° 

He  thought,  now  the  good  old  man  will  have 
money,  fame,  and  distinction;  his  daughter,  the 
dear  little  Marie,  would  be  advanced  to  her  right- 
ful place  among  womankind,  and  no  longer  be  hid- 
den in  Duke's  Lane,  unknown  and  unsought.  Un- 
sought! Then  came  a  feeling  of  jealousy  at  his 
heart.  Men  would  seek  the  heart  and  hand  of  his 
little  fiance.  Would  they  succeed?  Would  she 
quickly  forget  him,  and  receive  with  pleasure  the 
advances  of  other  suitors?  Then,  with  a  grim 
smile,  he  bade  his  heart  have  no  fear;  Marie  Col- 
chis was  no  more.  It  mattered  not  what  she  had 
done;  she  was  dead  to  him  forever.  He  would 
live  in  the  remembrance  of  her  childish  yet  wom- 
anlike love. 

It  was  past  midnight  when  Cobb  and  the  Presi- 
dent separated,  each  to  his  bed;  the  latter  to  slum- 
ber, the  former  to  lie  in  a  mournful  remembrance  of 
former  days  and  former  friends. 

The  next  few  days  were  passed  by  Cobb  as  the  oth- 
ers had  been,  in  the  gaining  of  a  knowledge  of  the 
world  as  he  now  found  it.  Much  of  the  excitement 
caused  by  his  advent  had  passed;  much  of  the  curi- 
osity of  mankind  in  his  appearance  among  them 
had  vanished.  He  settled  down  to  a  life  similar 
to  the  rest.  To  Mollie  Craft  he  was  kind  and  polite, 
but  not  passionate.  He  still  believed  her  the  mag- 
net toward  which  fate  was  drawing  him;  but  he 
awaited  the  propitious  moment  to  tell    her    of    his 


A.    D.     20OO  275 

belief,  of  his  love.  She  was  kind  and  sisterly  to 
him;   nothing  more. 

It  was  near  the  first  of  December  that  a  new  face, 
a  sweet,  girlish  face  of  innocence  and  simplicity, 
came  across  the  path  of  his  life. 

Marie  Colchester  had  arrived  at  the  executive 
mansion  as  the  one  dear  friend  of  Mollie  Craft  during 
her  school-days  at  Weldon.  As  she  was  presented 
to  mamma  and  papa  Craft,  she  blushed  at  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  deception  she  was  practicing;  but  she 
had  promised  her  brother  and  his  fiance  to  obey 
their  wishes. 

A  tall  girl,  with  blonde  hair,  majestic  form, 
round  and  plump,  with  eyes  melting  in  their  ex- 
pression of  artlessness  and  innocence,  Marie  Col- 
chester was  one  who  would  easily  conquer  the  heart 
of  a  susceptible  man.  In  the  parlor  they  met  for 
the  first  time,  Junius  Cobb  and  she. 

"My  brother,  Marie.  Junius,  let  me  make  you 
acquainted  with  my  dear  old  schoolmate,  Marie 
Colchester.  I  want  you  to  be  the  best  of  friends," 
and  she  moved  toward  the  piano,  and  listlessly 
tapped  the  ivory  keys. 

"Oh,  I  am  sure  we  will,  will  we  not,  Mr.  Cobb?" 
exclaimed  Miss  Colchester,  with  a  winning  smile. 
"You  know  everybody  has  heard  of  you,  and  I  feel 
it  a  great  honor  to  know  one  who  has  lived  in  two 
lives." 

For  a  moment  Cobb  stood  with  a  perplexed  ex- 
pression, and  gazed  intently  at    her;  the  name  had 


276  A.    D.    2000 

startled  him.  She  raised  her  face,  and  met  his 
gaze,  then,  blushing,  dropped  her  eyes  to  the 
floor. 

"You  do  not  answer,  Mr.  Cobb?"  she  ventured. 
"Are  you  displeased  at  meeting  me?" 

Recovering  himself  in  a  moment,  he  quickly  re- 
turned: 

"Pardon  me.      My  thoughts  were  far  away." 

"Not  very  complimentary  to  me,"  with  a  merry 
laugh.  "But,  then,  if  you  will  tell  me  of  whom 
you  were  thinking,  and  her  name,  for  I  know  it 
must  be  a  woman,  I  will  forgive  your  ungallantry, " 
with  bewitching    naivete. 

"Marie  Colchis,"  he  slowly  answered,  with  his 
thoughts  still  far  away. 

"How  funny!  almost  my  own  name.  Now  you 
have  aroused  my  curiosity.  Who  is  this  divinity 
that  can  hold  your  thoughts  so  enthralled  when  / 
am  near?"  and  again  she  laughed  as  she  empha- 
sized the  pronoun. 

"She  was  my  affianced  wife!  " 

The  words  came  as  if  from  the  depths  of  his 
heart. 

Marie  Colchester  saw  she  had  touched  a  tender 
chord  in  his  memory.  Casting  aside  all  semblance 
of  levity,  she  approached  him  and  laid  her  white, 
small  hand  upon  his  arm. 

"Forgive  me,"  she  said;  "I  did  not  wish  touring 
sad  memories  to  your  mind." 

Mollie    Craft  slyly    watched    them    both,  as    she 


A.    £>.    2000  277 

stood  at  the  piano,  apparently  deeply  absorbed  in 
the  music  copy  on  the  stand. 

"Good!      They  will  be  friends,"  she  murmured. 

Such  was  the  meeting  of  Junius  Cobb  and  Marie 
Colchester. 


CHAPTER     XV 

The  month  of  Finis  had  passed,  and  it  was  Old- 
Year-Day;  to-morrow  would  be  New- Year' s-Day, 
A.    D.   2001. 

In  the  conservatory,  among  the  roses,  geraniums 
and  violets,  with  scissors  and  twine  in  their  hands, 
were  Marie  and  Mollie.  As  fresh  and  bright  as  the 
flowers  about  them,  they  chatted  and  laughed  as 
they  clipped  the  buds  and  fashioned  the  floral 
pieces  which  were  to  grace  the  private  room  of  the 
executive  mansion  on  the  morrow. 

New- Year' s-Day  was  a  great  day,  in  this  new  era 
of  time.  It  was  a  day  upon  which  all  toil  ceased, 
and  all  hearts  were  made  glad  by  the  exchange  of 
good  wishes  and  good  cheer. 

The  President  held  a  great  reception  from  9 
until  11  dial,  and  after  that  hour  devoted  the  after- 
noon to  his  family  and  intimate  friends.  In  the 
evening  the  day  was  crowned  by  a  magnificent  ball; 
such  had  been  the  custom  for  years  in  Washington 
on  New- Year' s-Day. 

With  deft  fingers,  the  two  girls  made  the  pretty 
floral  pieces:  one  for  papa  and  mamma;  one  each 
for  Hugh  and  Junius;  and  Lester  was  to  have  one — 
Mollie  said  two — sent  to  his  hotel. 

"Well,  if  you  send  him  two,  I  shall  send  another 
278 


A.    £>.    2000  279 

to  Hugh,"  cried  Marie,  with  a  pretty,  threatening 
gesture. 

"Marie  Colchester,  you  are  in  love!  "  and  Mollie 
stopped  in  her  work  to  note  the  effect  of  her 
words. 

"Oh!  "  prolonged  and  low  from  her  companion. 

"Yes,  you  are,"   teasingly. 

"O  Mollie  Craft!  How  can  you  ever  say  such  a 
thing?"  and  the  blushes  overspread  her  whole  face. 

"You  are  a  little  traitor,"  with  a  show  of    anger. 

Marie  looked  up  as  if  uncertain  of  her  friend's 
meaning,  but  the  twinkle  in  the  latter's  eye  satis- 
fied her  that  no  belligerent  intentions  were  pre- 
meditated. 

"How  so,  Mollie?"  demurely,  as  she  clipped  a 
japonica  rose  from  its  stalk. 

"How  so?  Didn't  I  ask  you  to  come  here  and  win 
the  love  of  Junius  Cobb  so  as  to  free  me  from  the  pain 
of  seeing  his  love  for  me  unreturned?  Didn't  you 
agree  to  throw  yourself  away  for  Lester's  sake  and 
mine?  Didn't  you  tell  me  that  you  knew  he  couldn't 
help  loving  you,  and  that  his  heart  would  soon  be 
lying  at  your  feet  like  a — a — a  sponge-cake  stepped 
upon  by  an  elephant?      There!  " 

"O  Mollie!  I  didn't  say  all  that!"  cried  Marie, 
in  confusion. 

"Yes,  you  did;  you  know  you  did,"  shaking,  her 
scissors  at  the  other. 

"Well,  haven't  I  tried  to  make  him  love  me? 
Oh,  I  am  so  ashamed!     Trying  to  make  a  man  love 


280  A.    t>.    2000 

me,  and  he  won't  show  the  least  little  bit  of  love,'' 
and  she  hid  her  face  in  her  hands,  in  apparent  distress. 

"That's  all  put  on,  miss;  as  if  I  couldn't  see. 
You  were  not  here  a  week  before  you  had  that 
great  big  brother  of  mine  dancing  after  you  as  if 
tied  to  your  apron-strings,"  and  Mollie  looked  se- 
verely at  the  culprit. 

"But,  Mollie,  I  couldn't  help  it.  "He  would  come 
— and  come,  and  stay — and  stay — and — and — I  didn't 
know  you  objected — and  I'll  go.  away  to-morrow," 
and  the  poor  girl  burst  into  a  flood  of  tears,  and 
sank  beside  the  floral  tribute  to  her  lover. 

In  an  instant  Mollie  was  by  her  side,  her  white 
arms  clasped  around  the  sobbing  girl,  and  the 
kisses  checking  the  rain  of  tears. 

"There,  there,  Marie,  my  own  true  girl!"  she 
coaxingly  said,  "I  was  only  teasing  you.  I  would 
not,  indeed  I  would  not,  have  said  it  if  I  had 
thought  you  would  have  believed  me  in  earnest. 
I  am  proud  of  my  brother's  choice;  I  want  you  for 
a  sister. " 

"And  you  are  not  angry  with  me  for  not  loving 
Mr.   Cobb?"   looking  up  beseechingly. 

"No,  dear  girl.  I  love  Junius,  for  he  is  a  noble 
though  a  silent  man.  It  would  have  given  me  great 
pleasure  to  have  seen  him  love  and  marry  you,  Ma- 
rie, for  you  will  be  a  prize  to  your  husband;  but,  to 
be  my  brother's  wife,  that  is  better  still,"  and  she 
kissed  the  red,  quivering  lips  of  the  girl,  and  gently 
raised  her  form  from  the  ground. 


A.    D.    2000  28l 

Thus  another  scheme  devised  by  human  minds 
had  failed. 

Hugh  Craft  had  been  won  by  the  innocence  and 
loveliness  of  this  girl;  had  given  her  his  whole 
heart,  and  had  received  hers,  with  its  wealth  of 
love,  in  return.  Their  love  plighted,  and  sitting  by 
his  side  one  afternoon  in  the  conservatory,  whither 
he  had  led  hento  enjoy,  unmolested,  her  sweet  so- 
ciety, she  had  told  him  the  story  of  her  coming,  her 
identity  and  her  relationship  to  Lester  Hathaway. 
And  then,  under  his  promise  of  secrecy,  she  had 
told  him  of  Lester's  infatuation  and  semi-engage- 
ment to  Mollie.  Loving  this  woman  as  he  did,  he 
could  find  no  fault  with  his  sister  for  loving  the 
brother;  but  in  deference  to  Marie's  wishes,  he 
had  refrained  from  informing  his  sister  and  her 
lover  that  their  secret  was  known. 

It  was  New- Year's  night,  and  the  grand  ball-room 
of  the  executive  mansion  was  a  scene  of  beauty  and 
splendor.  Incandescent  lights  hung  in  huge  fes- 
toons from  the  ceiling;  beautiful  women  and  brill- 
iant uniforms  mingled  in  one  grand,  gorgeous  pan- 
orama. 

Out  from  the  moving  multitude  came  Hugh  Craft, 
with  Marie  leaning  on  his  arm.  Pausing  at  the 
grand  stairway  to  the  supper-room,  Hugh  sent 
word  to  Lester  and  Mollie  to  meet  him  in  the  con- 
servatory. 

A  few  minutes  later  they  were  joined  by  Mollie 
and  her  lover,  who  found  them  standing  under    the 


282  A.    D.    2000 

rose  arbor  at  the  lower  end  of  the  conservatory. 
As  they  approached,  Hugh  left  the  side  of  Marie, 
and,  confronting  Lester,  addressed  him  in  a  tone 
of  severity: 

"You  have  made  love  to  my  sister,  sir! ' 

Mollie  uttered  a  little  scream,  and  clung  to  the 
arm  of  Lester,  while  Marie  stood  mute  in  astonish- 
ment at  the  scene. 

"I  repeat  it,  sir,"  continued  Hugh,  in  harsh  and 
severe  tones;  "you  have  been  guilty  of  engaging 
yourself  to  my  sister." 

For  a  moment  Lester  Hathaway  stood  looking  at 
the  other,  not  knowing  what  answer  to  make.  His 
sister  must  have  told  Hugh  of  his  secret,  he  thought; 
then,  boldly: 

"And  you,  sir,  have  made  love  to  my  sister! 

Hugh  was  surprised  at  the  retort,  for  he  did  not 
know  of  the  interview  between  the  two  girls,  of 
the  day  before,  nor  that  Mollie  had  told  Lester  all 
about  it. 

"I  admit  it,"  he  smilingly  said. 

"And  so  do  I,"  returned  Lester,  as  the  twinkle  in 
Hugh's  eye  gave  him  the  assurance  that  there  was 
no  anger  in  his  words. 

"You  want  her,  Lester?" 

"And  you  want  her,  Hugh?" 

So  rapidly  had  the  words  been  spoken-  that  the 
girls  had  had  no  time  to  speak, 

"Yes;   and  you?" 

"Want  her  forever." 


A.    D.    2000  283 

"Then,  Lester,  let  us  trade  sisters,"  and  he 
laughed  heartily  as  he  saw  the  comical  expression 
which  came  over  Mol lie's  face  as  she  realized  the 
situation. 

"You  are  real  mean,  Hugh,  to  scare  us  that  way. 
Look  at  poor  Marie;  she  doesn't  know  yet  if  you  are 
in  earnest  or  not,"  and  Mollie looked  toward  the  girl. 

"She  knows  now,"  as  he  clasped  her  in  his  arms 
and  kissed  her  lips. 

"Oh! "   exclaimed  Mollie. 

Then  these  lovers  sat  and  discussed  their  hopes 
and  plans.  Sympathy,  deep  and  true,  was  expressed 
for  Junius  Cobb;  for  it  had  been  noticed  by  all  that 
an  appearance  of  sadness  was  ever  in  his  face.  He 
seemed  devoid  of  energy  and  all  desire  for  amuse- 
ment. He  cared  not  for  the  society  of  women;  even 
Mollie  received  far  less  attention  from  him  than 
formerly;  not  that  she  believed  he  thought  any  less 
of  her,  but  that  he  never  did  actually  love  her.  In 
her  kind  heart,  she  suggested  to  the  others  that  they 
combine  their  forces,  and  endeavor  to  arouse  him 
from  the  apathy  into  which  he  certainly  was  sink- 
ing. Each  gladly  agreed  to  do  all  in  her  power  to 
make  the  man  forget  his  former  life  and  enter  into 
the  enjoyment  of  the  present.  With  their  hearts 
bearing  nothing  but  respect  and  friendship  for  Jun- 
ius Cobb,  they  left  the  conservatory,  and  returned  to 
the  ball-room 

The  night  passed,  and  it  was  January  1,  2001. 

At  breakfast,  Hugh  told  Cobb  that  he  intended  to 


284  A.    D.    2000 

take  him  to  America,  as  the  President  had  promised 
that  he  should  be  made  acquainted  v/ith  the  system 
of  the  sympathetic  telegraph,  and  also  with  the 
methods  pursued  in  publishing  the  "Daily  Amer- 
ican. " 

Cobb's  face  brightened  up,  and  he  expressed  his 
pleasure  at  the  prospect  of  gaining  a  knowledge  of 
these  wonderful  inventions. 

Accordingly,  at  14  dial  the  two  young  men  took 
the  Chicago  Pneumatic,  and  reached  Pittsburgh  at 
16:50  dial.  Here  the  Tracer,  in  which  Cobb  had 
crossed  the  Central  Sea  in  the  preceding  Septem- 
ber, and  which  had  been  ordered  to  report  to  Cap- 
tain Craft,  was  boarded,  and  Cobb  again  met  Lieu- 
tenant Sibley  and  his  assistants. 

Putting  to  sea  as  soon  as  the  baggage  had  ar- 
rived from  the  train,  the  Tracer  was  headed  south- 
west by  west,  and  quickly  made  the  offing. 

At  3:  10  dial  the  next  morning  the  vessel  came  to 
anchor  in  the  harbor  of  America.  It  was  7  dial  be- 
fore Lieutenant  Sibley  would  awaken  his  guests,  and 
nearly  9  dial  when  Mr.  Doane,  the  superintendent 
of  the  telegraph  system,  presented  himself,  under 
an  order  from  the  Secretary  of  State  to  render  every 
service  to  his  visitors. 

The  city  of    America  lay    just  a   mile    from    the 
shores  of  the  Central  Sea,  upon  a  nearly  level  plain 
about  six  miles  long  by  three   in  width.     The  Ken 
tucky  hills  in  the  background,  with  their  magnificent 
scenery,   the  great  sea  in  front    and    the    beautiful 


A.    1).     2000  285 

streets  and  houses,  made  the  scene  appear  to  Cobb 
like  an  enchanted  city  of  the  Arabian  Nights. 

Landing  at  the  dock,  an  electric  drag  quickly  took 
the  party  to  the  beautiful  residence  of  Mr.  Doane. 

A  few  minutes  later,  after  meeting  the  charming 
wife  of  their  host,  Cobb  and  Hugh  were  ushered 
into  the  library  by  Mr.  Doane,  who  again  expressed 
the  pleasure  which  he  felt  at  meeting  the  man  of 
whom  the  world  had  been  talking  for  the  past  four 
months. 

"I  can  assure  you,"  he  exclaimed,  "we  see  it  here. 
Thousands  of  telegrams  have  passed  through  the 
United  States— I  should  say  the  Central  Office— in 
which  your  name  was  the  prominent  subject." 

"I  ought  to  feel  flattered  at  such  world-wide  repu- 
tation," returned  Cobb,  modestly;  "but  I  am  tired 
of  it,  and  wish  to  be  a  man  born  in  the  period." 

The  conversation  continued,  and  the  object  of 
Cobb's  visit  to  the  city  was  fully  explained. 

Stepping  to  a  book-case,  Mr.  Doane  took  a  large 
book  from  a  shelf,  and,  opening  it  upon  a  table,  dis- 
played a  map  of  the  city  of  America  and  its  imme- 
diate vicinity. 

"There  is  a  map  of  the  city,  Mr.  Cobb,"  he  said, 
"and  you  can  follow  me  as  I  explain  to  you  the 
reasons  why  the  city  has  been  so  laid  out,  and  in 
such  an  extraordinary  fashion.  America  is  a 
city  of  about  125,000  souls.  The  plan  of  the  city 
is  very  peculiar  indeed,  but  made  with  the  one 
view  of  bringing  the  employes  of   the  system  into 


286  \.    n.  2000 

little  communities  near  the  place  of  their  occupa- 
tion. It  resembles  a  portion  of  a  great  checker- 
board, eight  squares  long  by  six  in  breadth.  Each 
square  is  a  half-mile  in  length  and  breadth,  and  has 
an  area  of  one-quarter  of  a  square  mile.  Four  of 
these  squares  is  called  a  section,  making  twelve 
sections,  or  twelve  square  miles  in  the  city.  Each 
section  is  divided  into  eight  triangles  of  equal  shape 
and  area  by  diagonals  from  its  corners.  Thus  there 
are  in  the  city  five  great  streets,  each  four  miles 
in  length,  extending  from  one  extreme  to  the  other, 
or  east  and  west;  seven  streets  two  miles  in  length 
running  north  and  south,  and  the  diagonal  streets. 
Electric  cars  run  on  all  the  streets  except  the  di- 
agonals. All  of  these  streets  are  200  feet  wide,  and 
paved  with  gray  glass.  Each  triangle  is  cut  into 
streets  of  100  feet  in  width,  running  north  and 
south  for  the  north  and  south  triangles,  and  east 
and  west  for  the  others,  and  contain  about  400 
houses.  Thus  there  are  in  each  section  3,200  houses 
for  employes.  Each  house  occupies  an  area  of 
fifty  feet  front  by  100  feet  in  depth.  In  the  center  of 
each  section  is  a  beautiful  but  small  park.  Four 
large,  grand  buildings  of  six  stories  each  face  this 
park,  occupying  the  apices  of  the  eight  triangles. 
"These  buildings  are  the  workshops,  or  site  of  oc- 
cupation, of  the  inhabitants  of  that  particular  sec- 
tion. Thus  a  community  of  3,200  families  live  and 
work  in  each  section.  For  further  benefit  to  the 
people,  each     two    triangles  of    a  quadrant  is  com- 


A.    D.     2000  287 

bined  under  the  title  of  'square. '  Each  square,  there- 
fore, has  its  own  diagonal  street,  meeting  the  other 
diagonals  of  the  section  in  the  center,  or  place  of 
occupation.  Again,  as  each  square  is  a  smaller  com- 
munity of  the  section,  it  has  its  own  shops,  stores, 
etc.  All  of  these  places  of  business  are  located 
midway  on  the  diagonals,  and  are  styled  the  'ba- 
zar.' There  is  allowed  in  each  bazar,  only  one 
store  for  each  particular  trade;  for  instance,  there  is 
but  one  grocer,  baker,  market,  etc.,  through  the 
whole  list  of  trades.  There  are,  also,  restaurants  and 
club-rooms  for  men  and  women,  libraries,  churches 
and  school-houses  located  on  these  streets.  So 
complete  is  the  system  that  the  residents  have  little 
need  of  ever  going  outside  their  square  to  have  their 
wants  properly  attended  to.  All  of  the  stores  in 
the  city,  except  the  grocers,  bakers,  and  markets, 
are  under  control  of  the  authorities;  and  the  arti- 
cles offered  for  trade  have  to  be  of  the  best,  while 
the  schedule  of  prices  is  so  regulated  that  only  a 
certain  minimum  profit  can  be  made.  The  excepted 
trades  are  directly  under  the  charge  of  competent 
officials,  and  the  articles  sold  at  cost.  The  houses 
for  the  operators,  on  the  main  streets,  are  all  six- 
room  cottages,  while  those  on  the  cross-streets  con- 
tain only  five  rooms.  They  are  built  in  various 
and  different  designs,  and  all  are  provided  with 
heat  and  light  by  electricity.  They  are  covered 
with  ornamental  slabs  of  various  colored  glass, 
which  give  them  durability  against  the  weather,  and 


288  A.    D.    2000 

exquisite  beauty.  Each  section  is  under  the  direct 
supervision  of  a  governor  and  two  assistants,  and 
all  disputes  and  controversies  arising  among  the 
people  are  settled  and  judged  by  them.  No  person 
is  allowed  to  settle  or  remain  in  the  city  without 
special  authority  from  the  superintendent  and  coun- 
cil of  the  system.  The  cars  are  free  to  all  people; 
so,  also,  is  the  rent  of  the  houses  to  the  operators, 
the  only  requirement  being  that  each  occupant  shall 
keep  his  house  in  good  repair.  Every  expenditure 
for  the  welfare  of  the  city  is  paid  out  of  the  re- 
ceipts of  the  system,  thus  leaving  nothing  to  be  de- 
manded of  the  employes  save  the  cost  price  of  their 
subsistence.  You  will  see  from  the  map,  Mr.  Cobb, 
that  there  are  ten  sections  having  their  central  offices, 
while  the  two  interior  sections  of  the  city,  and 
wherein  we  now  are,"  and  he  placed  his  finger  upon 
the  spot,  "have  one  between  them.  This  central 
spot,  with  its  parks  and  great  buildings,  is  called 
'The  United  States,'  to  distinguish  it  from  the  other 
centers  of  operations;  which  are  named,  in  order,  from 
left  to  right,  around  to  point  of  beginning:  'Islands,' 
'Indias,'  'Asia,'  'Africa,'  'East,'  'Australia,'  'Conti- 
nent, '  'Britain,'  'South  America,'  and  'West.'  In 
each  section  2,000  operators  move  down  to  the  central 
offices  each  morning  at  8  dial,  making  20,000  tele- 
graph operators,  besides  2,000  in  the  central  section 
of  the  whole  system,  who  daily  work  the  keys  that  flash 
the  millions  of  messages  over  the  world.  This  vast 
throng  of  employes  moves, easily  and  without  impedi- 


P.    2000 


289 


ment,  down  thecross-streets  of  their  triangles  intothe 
diagonals  of  their  squares,  and  thence  to  their  work. 
By  the  system  of  squares,  no  employe  has  a  greater 
distance  to  walk  to  his  work  than,  the  length  of  the 
hypotenuse  of  the  triangle  whose  base  and  alti- 
tude is  a  half-mile  in  length;  or  a  little  less  than 
three  quarters  of  a  mile.  One-half  of  the  number 
of  operators  go  to  their  dinner  at  12  dial,  and  the 
other  half  at  13  dial.  At  20  dial,  they  are  relieved, 
and  10,000  others  take  their  place  until  8  dial  the 
next  morning.  Their  work  is  clean  and  light ;  but  the 
hours  are  long,  as  it  is  not  practicable  to  have  three 
sets  of  operators.  Now,  for  the  amusement  of  the 
city,  there  are  theatres,  dancing-halls,  clubs,  boat- 
ing and  sea-bathing,  libraries,  gymnasiums,  and  many 
other  means  of  recreation.  The  greater  portion  of 
the  operators  are  married,  and  live  happy  and  con- 
tented in  their  positions.  The  finer  houses,  on  the 
main  streets,  are  given  to  those  longest  in  service, 
as  a  reward  for  their  services.  The  salary  of  an 
operator  is  sixty  dollars  per  month,  and  promotion 
is  by  competition.  I  may  have  wearied  you,  Mr. 
Cobb,  by  going  into  details  as  I  have,"  Mr.  Doane 
said,  apologetically;  "but  in  order  to  understand 
this  vast  system  of  communication,  with  its  ramifica- 
tions extending  to  every  known  part  of  the  globe, 
it  is  necessary  that  you  should  learn  how  the  work- 
ing force  is  set  in  motion  and  how  continued." 

"On    the    contrary,     Mr.    Doane,    you    have    not 
wearied    me    at    all,"   replied  Cobb.      "I  can  assure 
A.  D.  2000     19 


290  a.   n.   2000 

you  I  take  special  delight  in  everything  tending  to 
better  the  condition  of  the  working  classes.  How 
much  better  could  capital  have  been  employed  in 
my  day  in  building  up  communities  like  this,  in- 
stead of  accumulating  vast  wealth  to  be  fought  over 
by  contending  heirs." 

"This,  Mr.  Cobb,"  continued  Mr.  Doane,  "is  the 
condition  of  life  and  the  surroundings  of  these 
thousands  of  men  who  daily  tick  the  thoughts  and 
wishes  of  mankind  from  every  part  of  the  known 
earth.  Now,  if  you  are  ready,  we  will  take  the 
drag  and  visit  one  of  the  sectional  offices,  and  you 
can  see  the  actual  working  of  the  system." 

It  was  but  a  few  minutes'  ride  from  Mr.  Doane' s 
residence  to  the  nearest  sectional  headquarters,  and 
they  were  soon  entering  the  beautiful  park  surround- 
ing the  four  large  buildings  which  faced  toward 
the  center.  Cobb  noticed  the  air  of  order  and 
cleanliness  which  pervaded  everything,  and  the 
lack  of  hubbub  which  might  be  expected  in  the 
vicinity  of  four  buildings  holding  2,000    employes. 

Ascending  by  the  elevator  to  the  first  floor,  they 
were  ushered  into  "The  State  of  New  York,"  as  the 
floor  was  designated  in  the  system. 

The  scene  that  met  the  eye  of  Cobb  was  unique 
in  the  extreme.  Row  upon  row  of  little  tables,  at 
each  of  which  sat  an  operator,  extended  from  one 
end  of  the  room  to  the  other.  In  front  of  each 
line  of  tables  an  endless  belt  was  carrying  little 
folded  papers,  and  dropping    them  through  a  chute 


a.  r>.  2000  291 

in  the  floor.  At  one  extremity  of  the  room  was  a 
number  of  pipes  vomiting  forth  an  unceasing  stream 
of  small  metal  cases,  which  were  quickly  seized 
and  deposited  in  boxes  near  at  hand.  A  stream  of 
assistants  were  busy  handing  these  cases  to  the  op- 
erators at  the  tables.  A  humming  sound,  low  and. 
musical,  pervaded  the  room  as  the  hundred  and 
more  instruments  clicked  forth  their  messages. 

"This  is  the  'State  of  New  York,'"  explained  Mr. 
Doane.  "There  are  140  operators  in  this  room, 
working  direct  with  the  central  office  of  the  State  of 
New  York.  Upon  the  next  floor  is  'New  England,' 
and  above  that,  'Pennsylvania,'  and  so  on,  each 
floor  being  devoted  to  the  work  with  the  central  of- 
fice of  a  particular  State  or  States."  Mr.  Doane 
then  enlightened  Cobb  on  the  work  of  the  system. 
In  each  State  of  the  United  States,  and  each  na- 
tion of  the  various  divisions  of  the  world,  was  located 
a  central  office;  these  central  offices  worked  direct 
with  some  floor  of  the  buildings  in  the  sec- 
tional offices.  For  instance:  the  section  designated 
"East,"  contained  the  operators  who  worked  with 
the  central  •  offices  of  the  Eastern  States.  "South 
America"  worked  with  the  central  offices  of  all  the 
countries  of  South  America.  From  the  central  office 
of  a  State  or  nation,  the  message  was  sent  direct 
to  the  town  or  city  of  destination,  if  in  that  State 
or  nation. 

"To  understand  the  system,"  said  Mr.  Doane,  "let 
us  follow  the  course  of  a  message  from  St.    Peters- 


2g2  A.    P.     2000 

burg  to  San  Francisco.  The  operator  at  St.  Peters- 
burg sends  it  to  the  central  office  of  his  county  by 
his  sympathetic  instruments.  From  that  central 
office  it  is  sent  to  the  section  in  this  city  designated 
'.Continent;'  there  it  is  received,  and  sent  to  'The 
World,'  or  central  office,  by  pneumatic  tubes.  At 
'The  World'  it  is  assorted  from  the  hundreds 
dropping  from  the  tubes,  and  sent  in  a  tube  to  the 
'West'  section.  Here  it  is  received,  and  sent  to 
the  floor  named  'California,'  handed  to  an  opera- 
tor, and  transmitted  to  the  central  office  of  Califor- 
nia, and  by  them  to  the  city  of  San  Francisco.  The 
time  of  transit  of  such  a  message  of  twenty  words, 
from  St.  Petersburg  to  San  Francisco,  is  thirty 
minutes." 

"Quick  work,  that!  "  exclaimed  Cobb,  admiringly. 

"But  a  more  peculiar  illustration  of  the  system," 
continued  Mr.  Doane,  "is  exemplified  in  the  send- 
ing of  a  message  from  Portland,  Oregon,  to  Van- 
couver, Washington.  These  cities  are  but  fifteen 
miles  apart;  yet  the  message  from  the  former  city 
is  sent  to  its  central  office,  thence  to  the  'West' 
section  in  this  city,  thence  by  tube  to  the  next 
floor,  thence  to  the  central  office  of  Washington,  and 
thence  to  Vancouver.  Now  I  will  show  you  the 
instruments,"  and  he  motioned  them  to  follow  him 
to  the  lower  end  of  the  room. 

Here  Cobb  for  the  first  time  examined  the  great 
invention  of  his  old  friend  and  master,  Jean  Col- 
chis. 


A.    D.    2000  293 

On  a  table  were  set  an  ordinary  relay,  sounder 
and  key,  instruments  which  were  familiar  to  Cobb, 
who  had  thoroughly  studied  the  electric  telegraph 
system  of  his  day.  The  relay  only  differed  from 
those  used  in  former  years  in  that  it  had  no  large 
and  heavy  armature  in  front  of  its  poles,  but  in  its 
place  was  a  small,  bright  needle  swinging  on  a 
vertical  pivot.  The  short  end  of  the  needle  was 
held  by  two  delicate  springs,  pulling  in  opposite 
directions.  The  needle  was  metallically  connected 
through  a  local  battery  to  an  ordinary  sounder,  and 
thence  the  current  was  carried  to  a  little  stud  near 
the  extreme  end  of  the  short  arm  of  the  needle. 

The  relay  was  connected  through  its  keys  to  an- 
other local  battery. 

If  the  key  was  closed — that  is,  pressed  down  so 
as  to  form  a  metallic  connection — the  relay  mag- 
nets were  magnetized  by  its  local  battery,  and  the 
little  needle  was  drawn  toward  them  by  their  at- 
traction, until  the  short  arm  of  the  needle  rested 
against  the  little  stud.  This  touching  of  the  needle 
to  the  stud  closed  the  circuit  of  the  second  local 
battery,  and  the  sounder  armature  answered  to  the 
influence.  If  the  key  was  opened,  the  circuit  was 
broken,  the  needle  was  drawn  back  by  its  little  spring 
and  the  local  current  of  the  sounder  disrupted. 
With  the  exception  of  the  needle,  the  whole  appa- 
ratus was  precisely  similar  to  that  employed  in 
telegraphing  in  1887. 

Cobb  examined  it  carefully  and  noted  its  delicacy 


294  A*  **•  200° 

and  the  care  exercised  in  its  protection  from  exter- 
nal forces  by  being  covered  with  a  glass  globe  and 
surrounded  by  helices  in  opposite  directions. 

Mr.  Doane  watched  his  expression,  and  smiled  at 
his  perplexity. 

"Simple,  isn't  it?"  he  asked. 

"Yes,  in  construction,"  returned  Cobb;  "but  its 
theory  of  action  upon  the  distant  instrument  is  to 
me  a  total  mystery,  I  must  confess." 

"But  easily  explained,  in  so  far  as  how  it  acts, 
but  not  why  it  performs  its  work,"  Mr.  Doane  an- 
swered. "The  needle  which  you  see  has  a  mate,  and 
that  mate  is  in  the  California  office.  These  needles 
are  made  in  pairs,  and,  by  a  wonderful  process,  made 
sympathetic.  No  two  pairs  are  charged  with  the 
same  sympathy;  consequently,  no  other  needle  of  the 
whole  system  of  instruments  will  affect  this  save 
that  single  one  in  California.  The  instruments  of 
each  pair  are  most  carefully  set  up  at  their  differ- 
ent stations,  so  that  the  needles  shall  point  to  the 
true  north;  thus  the  needles  are  exactly  parallel  to 
each  other.  When  the  instrument  is  not  in  use,  the 
key  is  left  open,  and  the  needle  is  held  back  by  its 
spring.  Now,  if  the  California  operator  should  close 
his  key,  he  would  cause  his  needle  to  be  attracted 
toward  the  relay  magnets;  this  movement  of  his 
needle  exerts  a  sympathetic  influence  upon  the 
needle  in  this  instrument.  //  endeavors  to  parallel  it- 
self to  its  mate.  It  moves  to  the  right,  overcoming 
the  power  of    its  spring,     and,    touching    the    stud, 


A.    D.    2000 


!95 


closes  the  circuit,  and  the  sounder  records  the  fact. 
Opening  his  key  in  California,  both  needles  move 
back  by  the  tension  of  their  springs,  and  the  sound- 
ers are  demagnetized.  The  sympathy  of  these  two 
needles  to  place  themselves  in  a  parallel  position, 
or,  more  properly,  the  repulsion  of  the  poles  of 
each  from  those  of  the  other,  is  the  secret  of  the  sym- 
pathetic telegraph  system." 

"A  wonderful,  grand  invention!"  burst  from  the 
lips  of  Cobb,  as  he  comprehended  the  almost  human 
action  of  the  two  needles.  "How  could  mortal  man 
have  discovered  such  a  secret  of  nature!  " 

"Yes,   Junius;    it  is  wonderful!"  echoed  Hugh. 

"How  many  pairs  of  these  sagacious  little  instru- 
ments have  you  in  the  system?"  asked  Cobb,  after 
a  silence. 

"In  the  United  States,  280,000;  in  the  world, 
450,000.  But  more  are  needed  very  much,  and  have 
been  for  years,"  returned  Mr.    Doane. 

"Well,  why  don't  you  make  them?"   inquiringly. 

"Ah!  there's  where  the  trouble  is!  Since  1963 
no  instruments  have  been  made.  The  secret  is 
lost!" 

"Lost!  The  secret  is  lost!  How  could  it  be 
possible  to  lose  the  secret  of  such  a  discovery  as 
this?"  and  a  look  of  incredulity  expressed  the  doubts 
he  entertained. 

"It  is  a  fact,  nevertheless,  Mr.  Cobb;  a  fact 
coupled  with  sorrow  to  me  in  many  ways.  But  let 
us  take  the  drag  and  return  to    the    house,  as  it    is 


296  A.    D.   2000 

near  luncheon;  I  will  tell  you  of  the  accident  as  we 
ride  along."  A  shade  of  sorrow  came  over  his  face 
as  he  spoke. 

As  the  drag  sped  along  the  grand  avenue  toward 
the  beautiful  home  of  the  superintendent,  Cobb 
listened  to  the  old  man's  story  concerning  the  loss 
of  the  secret  of  Jean  Colchis'   great  invention. 

"My  grandfather,"  commenced  Mr.  Doane,  "was 
the  first  superintendent  of  the  sympathetic  telegraph 
system.  In  1892,  when  the  wonderful  discovery  of 
Jean  Colchis,  of  whom  you  no  doubt  have  heard — " 

"And  with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  the  closest 
friendship,"  broke  in  Hugh,  in  a  matter-of-fact  sort 
of  way. 

"Knew  Jean  Colchis!  personally  knew  the  in- 
ventor of  the  system  I  have  been  explaining  to 
you!"  cried  Mr.    Doane,  in  astonishment. 

"Yes,"   from  Cobb. 

"Ah,  yes!  I  had  forgotten  your  status  in  this 
life.  You  have  lived  a  hundred  years;  why  may  you 
not  have  known  him?"  murmured  the  old  man,  as 
if  reasoning  with  some  doubt  in  his  mind  as  to 
Cobb's  sincerity  of  expression.  "You  must  tell  me 
of  him,"  with  an  eager  look;  "for*  I  reverence  the 
name  of  him  who  conceived  this  wonderful  agent 
of  communication,  and  placed  its  power  subject  to 
the  will  of  man.  To-night,  to-night,  Mr.  Cobb, 
you  must  tell  me  of  yourself  and  of  him." 

"With  pleasure,  Mr.    Doane,"   returned  Cobb. 

"Be  it  so.     And  now  I  will  goon  with  my  story," 


A.    D.    2000  2g7 

continued  the  superintendent.  "As  I  was  saying, 
in  1892,  when  Jean  Colchis  made  his  discovery,  the 
government  bought  the  invention  from  him,  and  se- 
lected my  grandfather,  who  was  a  Major  in  the  army, 
to  be  the  superintendent  of  the  system.  I  do  not 
know  what  were  the  terms  of  sale,  or  what  were 
the  conditions  imposed,  excepting  that  only  one 
man  was  to  know  the  secret  of  sympathizing  the 
needles;  that  that  man  was  never  to  commit  the 
secret  to  writing  or  to  tell  it  to  any  living  soul 
until  at  death's  door;  then  it  was  to  be  transmitted 
to  only  one  other,  verbally.  It  is  believed  that 
this  great  stipulation  on  the  part  of  Jean  Colchis 
was  to  prevent  France  from  reaping  any  benefit 
from  his  discovery,  as  he  was  said  to  have  been  an 
exile  from  that  country." 

Cobb  smiled  as  he  uttered  the  latter  words,  for 
the  political  secrets  of  Colchis  were  fresh  in  his 
memory. 

"For  thirty-seven  years  my  grandfather  sympa- 
thized, in  his  laboratory,  all  the  needles  used  in 
the  system.  Upon  his  death-bed,  in  1929,  at  the 
ripe  age  of  eighty-five,  he  communicated  the  secret 
to  his  son,  who  was  his  assistant  in  the  system. 
The  government  made  my  father  superintendent  to 
succeed  my  grandfather.  I  was  born  in  1937,  and 
at  twenty  years  of  age  became  my  father's  assistant. 
It  was  his  intention  to  leave  the  secret  with  me; 
but,  from  a  stroke  of  paralysis  preventing  speech 
and  motion,  he  died  on  the  6th  of  September,  1963, 


%gS  A.   i».    2000 

and  the  secret  died  with  him.  On  account  of  my 
knowledge  of  the  system  I  was,  upon  the  death  of 
my  father,  immediately  appointed .  superintendent, 
and  have  occupied  the  position  ever  since." 

"And  has  no  effort  been  made  to  rediscover  this 
secret?"  asked  Cobb. 

"Oh,  yes.  Scientists  throughout  the  world  have 
worked  assiduously,  but  without  success.  The  gov- 
ernment has  standing  rewards  of  five  millions  of  dol- 
lars for  the  lost  secret." 

They  had  reached  the  house,  and  the  drag  stopped 
at  the  door. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

After  lunch  a  visit  was  made  to  the  offices  of  the 
"Daily  American,"  the  great  newspaper  of  the 
country.  The  establishment  was  situated  at  the 
southeastern  corner  of  the  city,  just  outside  of  sec- 
tion "South  America." 

The  making  of  the  form  and  printing  of  this 
great  paper  was  explained  by  Mr.  McGregor,  the 
manager. 

The  items  of  news  and  interest  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  were  received  at  the  "World"  building 
by  the  sympathetic  telegraph,  and  then  transmitted 
by  tube  to  the  chief  of  copy  at  the  office  of  the  pa- 
per. Here  it  was  assorted  and  given  to  the  type- 
writers. Type,  as  used  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
had  no  place  in  the  form  of  this  paper. 

Each  compositor  sat  before  a  machine  which  ap- 
peared to  Cobb  very  like  a  Yost  type-writer,  and 
printed  his  copy  on  slips  about  as  long  and  twice 
as  wide  as  the  columns  of    an    ordinary  newspaper. 

The  paper  was  prepared,  by  immersion  in  certain 
chemicals,  to  undergo  a  change  of  texture  and  com- 
position upon  the  passage  of  an  electric  current  of 
400  volts.  The  letter  arms  of  the  type-writers  were 
connected  with  the  batteries,  and  whenever,  in 
printing,   a  letter    was  struck    upon  the  paper,    the 

2yy 


300  A.    D.    2000 

current  passed  through  to  the  metallic  bed,  leaving 
a  silver-gray  print  of  the  character  on  the  paper. 

These  strips,  or  columns  of  the  paper,  as  they 
proved  to  be,  were  set  together  to  form  sheets  or 
pages  of  the  "Daily  American." 

A  little  instrument,  having  a  pointer  with  ioo 
metallic  hairs,  each  about  an  inch  in  length,  and 
each  connected  by  an  insulated  wire  to  a  sympathetic 
instrument,  was  placed  on  the  outer  edge  of  the 
sheet  of  paper,  which  lay  flat  and  smooth  upon  a 
copper  bed.  The  ioo  little  points  were  so  set  that 
they  just  touched  the  paper,  but  not  each  other; 
and  their  arrangement  was  such  that,  as  the  machine 
traveled  over  the  sheet  from  bottom  to  top,  every 
part  of  the  paper  for  a  width  of  two  inches  was 
touched  by  some  one  of  these  points. 

Now,  the  current  of  electricity  which  passed 
through  the  slips  of  paper  when  printed,  had  not 
left  the  letters  in  clear  color,  but  had  changed  the 
metallic  composition  in  the  paper  into  metallic  let- 
ters. 

Another,  and  one  of  the  most  important  factors  in 
this  new  process,  was  that  the  letter  was  metallic 
clear  through  the  paper,  the  reverse  side  of  the 
sheet  showing  a  perfect  type-form. 

The  "Daily  American"  was  printed  simultane- 
ously in  one  hundred  cities  of  the  country,  and  from 
these  cities  delivered  by  train  as  in  former  days. 
Of  course  it  was  necessary  that  each  city  should 
have  its  own  type-form,  but  the  size    of  the   paper 


A.     D.     2000  301 

precluded  the  possibility  of  sending  such  a  vast 
amount  of  matter  to  each  place  and  there  putting 
it  in  type-form. 

The  difficulty  was  overcome  by  each  city  having 
a  little  100-pointed  instrument,  similar  to  the  one 
at  the  main  office  of  the  paper,  the  wires  of  which 
were  connected  to  mates  to  the  100  sympathetic  in- 
struments in  the  home  office;  for  the  special  work 
the  needles  had  been  sympathized  in  100  sets  of 
100  needles  each. 

At  2:45  dial  by  the  time  at  America,  each  sub- 
office  had  great  sheets  of  paper  saturated  with  the 
metallic  chemicals  used  to  prepare  the  home-form, 
spread  perfectly  flat  upon  copper  beds,  and  the  lit- 
tle traveler  in  position  at  the  lower  left-hand  cor- 
ner of  the  sheet. 

At  precisely  3  dial  the  operator  at  America  touched 
the  key  of  a  sympathetic  instrument,  and  the  trav- 
eler on  his  sheet  of  paper  passed  rapidly  down  the 
entire  page.  At  every  sub-office  the  traveler  per- 
formed a  similar  journey,  being  regulated  by  a 
main  sympathetic  instrument.  When  the  travelers 
reached  the  end  of  the  page,  they  automatically  re- 
turned to  the  point  of  starting,  excepting  that  they 
moved  the  width  of  the  100  points,  or  two  inches,  to 
the  right.  This  was  repeated  until  every  particle 
of  the  paper  necessary  for  a  whole  edition  had  been 
completely  passed  over. 

The  principle,  as  Cobb  learned,  was  this:  The  home 
sheet  having  metallic  letters,   and    the    copper  bed 


302  A.     D.    2000 

being  connected  with  a  battery,  whenever  a  point 
of  the  traveler  touched  a  letter  a  current  passed  to 
the  point,  thence  to  the  relay,  which  caused  the 
sympathetic  needle  to  move  to  the  right.  At  the 
sub-office,  the  mate  of  this  needle  also  moved  to  the 
right  and  closed  the  circuit  of  the  local  battery;  a 
current  th'en  passed  down  to  a  point  of  the  traveler 
— which  point  was  a  mate  to  one  of  the  points  in 
the  home  traveler — -and  thence  through  the  prepared 
paper,  changing  the  composition  into  a  fine  metal- 
lic line.  Whenever  the  points  of  the  home  traveler 
passed  off  of  a  metallic  letter  the  current  for  that 
particular  point  or  points  was  broken,  as  the  paper 
had  been  rendered  non-conductive  after  its  receipt 
from  the  type-writers. 

The  result  was  that  each  sub-office  had  an  exact 
copy  of  the  original  form,  made  up  of  thousands  of 
little,  fine  lines,  but  so  close  together  as  to  form  per- 
fect letters.  These  forms  were  quickly  placed  in 
rapid-acting  plating  baths,  and  the  top  surface,  or 
that  side  over  which  the  traveler  passed,  plated 
with  aluminum.  In  thirty  minutes  the  forms  were 
covered  by  a  sheet  of  metal  which  held  every  letter 
that  had  been  made  in  the  paper  by  the  electrical 
change  of  the  chemical,  rigidly  in  position;  the  let- 
ters being  formed  clear  through  the  paper.  The 
forms  were  now  flattened,  and  then  bent  over  rollers 
for  the  great  rotary  presses.  The  last  act  in  the 
manipulation  of  these  forms  was  then  accomplished 
by  decomposing  and  removing  all    the   paper  which 


A.    P.     2000  303 

had  not  been  transformed  into  metal.  The  result 
of  all  these  operations  was  that  a  printing  cylinder 
was  obtained  exactly  similar  to  the  one  at  the 
home  office.  The  paper  was  then  printed  and  dis- 
tributed as  in  former  times. 

Cobb  studied  all  these  details  very  carefully,  and 
left  the  establishment  with  feelings  of  astonish- 
ment at  the  progress  made  in  a  hundred  years. 

"We  must  have  an  early  breakfast,  Junius,"  said 
Hugh,  that  evening,  "for  we  are  to  take  the  Tracer 
across  the  sea  and  visit  the  metropolis." 

"The  metropolis?"  echoed  Cobb,  with  a  look  of 
surprise. 

"Yes." 

"I  do  not  think  that  I  care  about  going  to  New 
York  again;  not  for  the  present,  anyway,"  said  the 
other. 

"Well,  did  I  say  anything  about  going  to  New 
York?"  returned  Hugh,  carelessly. 

"But  you  spoke  of  visiting  the  metropolis." 

"So  I  did." 

"There  can  be  but  one  metropolis  in  a  country." 

"True,"  smiling. 

"And  that  must    be    New  York  for  this  country." 

"And  that  is  not  New  York  for  this  country. " 
This  with  a  decided  emphasis.  "I  am  going  to 
take  you  to  Chicago;  to  the  metropolis  of  the  United 
States;    to  the  greatest  city  on  earth." 

He  noted  the  expression  of  wonder  which  came 
over  the  other's  face. 


3°4 


A.    D.    2000 


"And  do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  Chicago  is  a 
greater  city  than  New  York?  Chicago,  an  inland 
town,  to  compete  with  and  excel  New  York,  a  sea- 
port city?"  and  Cobb  shook  his  head  as  if  he  doubted 
the  possibility  of  the  truth  of  such  an  assertion. 
"Why,  you  have  told  me  that  New  York  has  over  four 
million  inhabitants;  has  Chicago  more  than  that 
number?" 

"Yes,"  returned  Hugh;  "nearly  double  that  num- 
ber. By  the  census  finished  last  June,  Chicago  had,  at 
that  date,  7,345,906  souls  living  within  its  corporate 
limits." 

"Come,  Hugh,"  pettishly  exclaimed  Cobb,  "that's 
a  little  too  strong.  I  remember  that  it  was  esti- 
mated, in  1887,  that  Chicago  would  have  about  1,500,- 
000  in  1890,  and  if  that  estimate  was  correct,  this 
vast  population  given  by  you  could  never  have  been 
obtained  through  ordinary  growth." 

"Nor  was  it,  Junius.  The  growth  was  extraordi- 
nary,"  lightly  returned  the  other. 

"Humph!  So  I  should  say.  Why,  it  is  equivalent 
to  a  gain  of  53,000  persons  every  year  since  1890. 
Such  a  rapid  growth  for  so  many  years  is  an  ab- 
surdity." 

"As  you  please;  have  it  so.  But  let  me  enlighten 
you  a  little.  In  1910  the  population  of  Chicago 
was  1,800,000 — a  rapid  but  fair  growth  for  a  city 
possessing  the  surrounding  country,  energy,  re- 
sources, and  natural  attractions  of  Chicago.  But  it 
was  after  the  year  1916,  and  for  the  next  ten  years 


A.     D.    2000  305 

that  Chicago,  as  well  as  many  other  towns  and  cities 
in  the  West,  received  the  greatest  addition  to  its 
population.  After  the  great  cataclysm  of  1916 
the  vast  numbers  of  people  who  were  driven  from 
their  homes  by  the  rising  of  the  waters  over  the 
doomed  area  of  the  Ohio  basin,  sought  temporary 
shelter  in  all  the  towns  and  cities  surrounding  the 
Central  Sea.  As  time  progressed  and  showed  the 
future  destruction  that  would  be  wrought  as  the 
waters  rose,  the  people  emigrated  in  great  numbers. 
The  movement  was  westward,  only  a  small  portion 
going  East  or  to  the  South.  The  great  cities  of 
Chicago,  St.  Louis,  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul,  and  Kan- 
sas City  received  vast  additions;  but  of  them  all, 
Chicago,  being  the  nearest  and  largest,  gained  the 
most.  From  a  million  and  three-quarters,  in  1910, 
that  city  had  over  four  million  in  1930.  The  rest 
of  her  immense  population  has  been  gained  through 
natural  increase  and  immigration,  being  at  the  rate 
of  about  50,000  per  year,  or  less  than  one  and-a-half 
percent,   increase." 

"And  Chicago  is  now  the  metropolis  of  the  United 
States,"  mused  Cobb.  Then  aloud:  "Yes,  it  was  to 
be.  The  condition  and  extent  of  this  great  republic 
were  factors  to  cause  a  westward  movement,  not 
only  of  the  center  of  population,  but  of  the  location, 
even,  of  the  metropolis  of  the  nation." 

"Now,  Junius,  go  to  bed  and  get  a  good  sleep;  we 
will  rise  early  in  the  morning,"  said    Hugh,  rising 
from  his  chair. 
A.  D.  2000     20 


.306  A.     D.    2000 

"All  right;  anything  to  keep  me  interested,"  re- 
turned Cobb.  "I  must  have  excitement.  I  feel  blue 
and  down  in  the  mouth  the  instant  my  interest 
flags." 

"O,  pshaw,  man!  you  ought  not  to  feel  that  way. 
You'll  come  around  all  right  in  time;  you  mark 
my  words,"  and  Hugh  sauntered  off  to  his  room. 

It  was  17:  25  dial  the  next  day,  when  Cobb  and  Hugh 
arrived  in  Chicago,  on  the  Southern  Pneumatic. 
Taking  a  drag  at  the  Central  Station,  they  soon 
reached  and  were  comfortably  domiciled  in  "The 
World,"  the  great  and  magnificent  hotel  of  the 
metropolis. 

"The  World"  was  but  one  of  the  many  grand  and 
luxuriously  appointed  hostelries  of  that  great  city, 
but  it  was  nevertheless  the  leading  one.  The  build- 
ing was  situated  upon  Michigan  avenue,  facing  the 
Lake  Front.  Built  entirely  of  metal  and  glass,  it 
was  absolutely  fire-proof;  its  frontage  was  one  mass 
of  ornamentation  in  all  the  colors  of  the  spectrum, 
yet  harmoniously  blended.  There  were  3,000  rooms 
for  guests,  each  provided  with  bath,  telephone,  elec- 
tric light,  dumb-waiters,  etc.  The  parlors  were  upon 
the  eighth  floor;  while  above  them,  and  covering 
the  entire  block,  were  magnificent  gardens,  covered 
by  a  glass  canopy    thirty-five    feet  above  the  floor. 

Here  rare  flowers  bloomed  every  day  in  the  year, 
the  temperature  being  uniform;  the  immense  and 
lofty  roof  being  made  to  slide  in  panels,  by  elec- 
tricity, thus    allowing    the  natural    temperature  of 


A.    D.     2000 


307 


the  outside  air  to  prevail,  when  sufficiently  high 
not  to  be  detrimental  to  the  plants.  At  night  the 
grandeur  of  the  scene  was  superb  when  lighted  by 
the  electric  lamps. 

After  an  hour  for  their  toilet  and  lunch,  Cobb  and 
Hugh  passed  out  and  around  the  eastern  part  of  the 
city  bordering  the  lake,  and  here  Cobb  observed  the 
wonderful  growth  and  curious  innovations  over  his 
time. 

Like  New  York,  the  city  was  a  double  one,  over 
its  central  portion,  appropriate  descents  being  situ- 
ated at  short  intervals  for  passing  from  the  upper  to 
the  lower  streets.  The  great  avenues,  such  as 
Michigan,  Wabash,  State,  First,  Fifth,  and  Seventh, 
were  provided  with  rapid-transit  trains,  in  tunnels 
crossing  the  river  below  its  surface,  and  running 
south  to  Five  Hundred  and  Tenth  street.  Electric 
surface  roads  were  used  for  cross-transportation, 
and  were  similar  to  those  which  he  had  already  seen. 

The  city  was  divided  into  four  great  divisions; 
or,  as  they  were  styled,  zenods.  Each  zenod  had 
its  own  post-office,  court  house,  police,  city  prison, 
and  all  the  machinery  necessary  in  the  operation  of 
a  complete  city.  The  zenods  were  governed  by  a 
lieutenant-mayor  and  a  council  of  fifteen  mem- 
bers; the  city,  as  a  whole,  was  governed  by  a  mayor 
and  a  supreme  council  of  thirty-nine  members. 

Cobb  ascertained  from  Hugh  that  it  had  been 
found  utterly  impossible  to  properly  provide  for 
the  welfare  and  advancement  of  such  a  great  popu- 


308  A.     D,    2000 

lation  unless  the  work  was  divided,  and  to  that  end 
the  four  zenods,  with  their  respective  municipal  cor- 
porations, with  a  supreme  head  and  upper  house,  had 
been  created. 

For  three  days  Cobb  and  Hugh  passed  about  the 
great  city,  the  one  observing  and  the  other  explain- 
ing the  many  wonderful  things  to  be  seen. 

Chicago  was  indeed  a  remarkable  city,  not  only 
in  its  vast  population,  quadruple  government,  extent 
of  territory  and  unprecedented  increase,  but  in  the 
application  of  every  known  adjunct  to  man's  welfare, 
comfort,  and  benefit. 

Leaving  "The  Wonderful  City"  and  its  vast  prog- 
ress for  a  future  and  thorough  investigation,  the 
two  friends  took  the  23  dial  pneumatic  for  Niagara. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

It  was  2  dial  the  next  morning,  when  Cobb  and 
Hugh  reached  Niagara.  The  night  was  beautiful, 
but  the  weather  cold,  and  it  was  with  pleasure  that 
the  two  men  reached  the  hotel,  and  ensconced 
themselves  by  the  side  of  a  real  coal  fire,  as  Cobb 
called  it. 

The  stillness  of  the  night  was  a  source  of  surprise 
to  Cobb,  as  he  heard  not  that  thundering,  deafening 
roar  of  the  mighty  cataract  which  had  always  here- 
tofore greeted  him  upon  his  arrival  at  the  falls. 

The  next  morning  Cobb  and  Hugh  were  up  early, 
and,  after  a  hearty  breakfast,  proceeded  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  old  inclined  railways  where  Cobb  had 
so  often,  in  former  years,  made  love  and  talked  non- 
sense to  the  pretty  girls  of  Niagara. 

A  different  sight  met  his  eyes  as  he  neared  the 
balcony  where  formerly  the  best  view  of  the  grand 
falls  was  to  be  obtained.  Niagara  was  still  a 
mighty  cataract,  but  not  half  the  volume  of  water 
which  had  passed  over  its  precipitous  edge  in  for- 
mer days  now  flowed  over  the  walls  of  rock. 
Where  formerly  the  great  mass  of  surging,  foamy 
floods  rushed  out  over  the  top  to  a  distance  of  fifty 
feet,  and  fell  in  one  unbroken  blue    sheet    into  the 

309 


3IO  A.    D.    2000 

boiling  torrent  below,  now  was  a  lighter   sheet    of 
white  and  broken  water.  • 

Two  artificial  streams,  one  on  either  side  of  the 
river,  below  the  falls,  the  beds  for  which  had  been 
carved  out  of  the  precipitous  banks  which  marked 
the  erosive  power  of  the  stream,  carried  an  im- 
mense flow  seven  miles  down  the  river. 

Along  the  banks,  and  from  one  hundred  to  sev- 
enty-five feet  below  the  canals,  were  rows  of  houses 
of  similar  construction  and  color.  From  every 
house,  in  either  line,  poured  forth  a  torrent  of 
water  which  rushed  and  leaped  down  the  rocks  to 
the  stream  below.  Electric  wires  and  huge  cables 
were  to  be  seen  in  every  direction. 

Turning  back  from  the  novel  scene  in  front  of 
him,  Cobb  moved  nearer  the  edge  of  the  balcony,  and 
looked  over  towards  the  base  of  the  falls.  Great 
masses  of  ice  rose  from  the  depths  below,  half  ob- 
scuring his  view;  but  the  field  was  clear  enough  for 
him  to  ascertain  that  a  new  order  of  phenomena  had 
taken  place  since  his  last  advent  there.  ■  It  seemed 
as  if  a  hundred  gigantic  mouths  in  the  face  of  the 
cliff  were  belching  forth  mighty  torrents  of  seeth- 
ing, foamy  water. 

Passing  down  the  stairs  to  the  first  landing, 
which  was  sixty  feet  below  the  brink  of  the  falls, 
he  and  Hugh  came  to  the  gate  of  a  tunnel  in  the 
walls  under  the  falls.  The  gatekeeper,  after  a  few 
words    from  Hugh,  touched  an  electric  bell,  and  a 


A.    P.    2000  311 

young  man  who  answered  the  summons  was  directed 
to  show  them  about  the  works. 

Niagara  Falls  had,  indeed,  undergone  a  most  re- 
markable change  in  a  hundred  years.  The  face  of 
the  cliff,  from  the  Canadian,  or  "Ontario"  side,  as 
it  was  then  termed,  clear  around  to  the  city,  had 
been  pierced  by  huge  tunnels,  ten  feet  in  diameter, 
extending  under  the  rapids  above  for  a  distance  of 
1,000  feet.  There  were  two  rows  of  these  tunnels; 
the  first  row  was  120  feet  below  the  top  of  the  falls, 
and  the  tunnels  were  twenty  feet  apart.  The  next 
row  was  cut  over  the  walls  between  the  lower  tun- 
nels, and  was  ninety  feet  below  the  edge  of  the 
falls.  Again,  above  this  line,  was  a  row  of  smaller 
tunnels,  five  feet  in  diameter  and  100  feet  apart. 
From  the  two  rows  of  large  tunnels  mighty  jets  of 
water  were  pouring  out,  and  breaking  into  foam  as 
the}7  reached  the  waters  coming  from  over  the 
cliff. 

Cobb  and  Hugh  passed  into  the  tunnel,  which 
was  brilliantly  lighted  by  electricity,  dry,  and  much 
warmer  than  the  outer  air.  Moving  onward,  they 
soon  came  to  the  great  chambers  of  the  cliff. 

"Here,  Cobb,"  said  Hugh,  as  they  entered  the 
first  chamber,  "here  are  the  first  dynamos.  This 
whole  cliff,  from  the  front  to  1,000  feet  in  rear,  is 
honeycombed  with  these  chambers.  Each  chamber 
has  a  turbine  wheel  and  a  set  of  dynamos,  and  re- 
ceives its  water-supply  through  shafts  drilled 
straight  up  through  the  roof  into  the  waters  of    the 


312  A.    B.     2000 

rapids  above.  The  water,  after  working  the  tur^ 
bines,  is  discharged  into  the  great  tunnels  which 
you  saw  emptying  from  the  face  of  the  rock.  Of 
the  mighty  body  of  water  flowing  over  the  falls, 
only  a  portion  could  be  used  in  this  manner,  as  it 
was  not  deemed  wise  to  make  more  than  two  rows 
of  tunnels ;  but  to  gain  as  much  power  from  the  water 
as  possible,  the  two  lines  of  dynamo  houses  along 
the  banks,  which  you  saw  from  above,  were  con- 
structed. The  little  tunnels  are  for  air  circulation, 
and  fans  are  continually  moving  the  air  through  the 
whole  labyrinth  of  chambers.  There  are,  in  the  face 
of  this  rock,  200  tunnels,  in  two  rows  of  one  hun- 
dred each,  and  extending  back  1,000  feet,  or  forty 
miles  in  total  length.  Over  each  tunnel  are  cham- 
bers, twelve  by  twenty  feet,  with  ten-foot  walls  be- 
tween, or  thirty  chambers  along  the  line  of  each 
tunnel. 

"Each  chamber  has  a  fifteen-inch  shaft  tapping 
the  water-supply  above.  Now,  the  descent  of  the 
water  is  at  the  rate  of  3,840  feet  per  minute,  the 
fall  is  sixty  feet,  and  the  weight  of  a  cubic  foot 
of  water  62.5  pounds:  thus  the  horse-power  of  each 
shaft  is  exactly  400,  and  the  flow-off,  in  area,  one 
square  foot.  As  there  are  thirty  of  these  chambers 
to  each  discharge  tunnel,  then  an  area  of  thirty 
square  feet  flows  from  a  seventy-eight-square-foot 
escape.  But  the  volume  of  water  from  the  shafts, 
owing  to  its  increased  velocity,  would  soon  over- 
flow   the    discharge    tunnels    if     level;    to    obviate 


A.    D.    2000  313 

this,  they  are  inclined  as  much  as  possible.  Four 
hundred  horse-power  turbines  in  each  chamber, 
coupled  to  dynamos,  give  350  electrical  horses. 
As  there  are  6,000  chambers  in  the  rock,  the 
output,  in  electricity,  is  equivalent  to  2,100,000 
electrical  horse-power;  this,  added  to  the  power 
generated  by  the  fourteen  miles  of  dynamos  along 
the  river,  which  have  3,650  wheels,  brings  the  whole 
power  utilized  up  to  three  and  a  quarter  millions 
of  electrical  horses.  This  mighty  current  is  carried 
by  great  copper  cables  to  all  parts  of  eastern 
United  States,  and  used  for  every  conceivable  pur- 
pose where  power  is  required. " 

"You  seem  to  be  pretty  well  posted  in  this  mat- 
ter," was  all  Cobb  could  say,  as  Hugh  gave  him 
this  array  of  figures. 

"I  am.  I  was  on  a  board  of  engineer  officers  in 
connection  with  the  water-power  of  these  falls, 
some  years  ago,"  he  replied. 

"How  long  have  these  works  been  in  opera- 
tion?" 

"About  fifty  years." 

"So  long?" 

"Yes." 

"Is  it  a  private  concern?"   inquired  Cobb. 

"Oh,  bless  you,  no.  It  cost  too  much  money  to 
put  it  into  operation.  The  government  expended 
over  two  hundred  millions  of  dollars  in  building 
the  works;  but  they  have  paid  for  themselves  almost 
twice  over. " 


3*4 


A.    D.    2000 


"And  this  is  the  source  of  the  great  electrical  sup- 
ply—" 

"For  the  Eastern  States  of  the  nation,"  interrupted 
Hugh;  "but  it  is  only  a  portion  of  the  power  used. 
The  water-power  everywhere  is  converted  into  elec- 
tricity, and  sent  over  the  country." 

"And  steam  isn't  used  any    more?"  hesitatingly. 

"To  be  sure,  it  is;  in  the  great  timber  districts, 
and  where  fuel,  which  otherwise  would  go  to  waste, 
is  plentiful,  steam  engines  are  still  used." 

After  a  thorough  inspection  of  the  great  center 
of  electrical  supply,  the  two  returned  to  their  hotel, 
and  made  preparations  to  leave  Niagara  and  visit 
New  England,  and  especially  Boston  and  Provi- 
dence, "the  places  I  love  so  dearly,"  said  Cobb.  "I 
must  once  more  visit  the  scenes  of  my  childhood, 
and  note  their  advancement." 

So  away  they  went  to  pass  a  week,  intending  to 
be  in  Washington  by  the  ioth  of  January. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

It  was  the  third  morning  after  Cobb  and  Hugh 
had  started  for  America,  that  Marie  Colchester,  or, 
as  she  should  be  called,  Marie  Hathaway,  had  said 
to  Mollie: 

"I  wish  I  could  see  some  of  those  peculiar  contriv- 
ances which  Mr.  Cobb  used  in  his  sepulchre,  in 
San  Francisco. " 

"And  why  may  we  not?"  Mollie  had  returned. 
"He  is  away,  and  we  can  take  a  peep  into  his  room 
without  a  living  soul  but  ourselves  knowing  it." 

So  it  was  that  these  two  girls  stole  silently  into 
Cobb's  bedroom,  and  noted,  with  feminine  curiosity, 
every  detail  of  a  man's  private  apartments. 

With  a  guilty  feeling,  they  opened  bureau  and 
chiffonier  drawers,  peered  into  boxes,  and  finally 
opened  the  doors  of  the  wardrobe.  None  of  the 
wonderful  inventions  for  prolonging  life,  which  they 
had  expected  to  find,  were  discernible.  Then  into 
the  closet,  to  the  left  of  the  bed,  they  looked.  An  old 
trunk,  an  iron  box,  some  old  boots,  and  a  bundle  of 
clothing,  were  all  that  met  their  view. 

"Humph!  We  haven' t  discovered  much,  Marie," 
dolefully  exclaimed  Mollie.  "Hugh's  room  looks 
just  like  this.  Nothing  but  clothing,  old  boots  and 
shoes,  and  such  traps,"  and  she  seized  the  old  cloth- 

3i5 


316  A.    D.     2000 

ing  in  the  corner,  and  threw  it  disdainfully  to  the 
side  of  the  closet. 

"Hello!  What's  this?"  she  slowly  exclaimed,  as 
a  hollow  rod  of  copper  fell  to  the  floor  at  her    feet. 

Stooping  down,  she  cautiously  picked  it  up  and 
examined  it.  Marie  was  looking  over  her  shoulder, 
brought  there  by  her  exclamation. 

"There's  writing  on  it,  Mollie!"  Marie  cried. 
"There;  on  the  side!" 

Mollie  turned  it  over,  and  saw  the  words,  dim  and 
blurred  by  time: 

"To  Junius  Cobb.      Important!" 

"In  God's  name,  do  not  delay  in  opening  this  cyl- 
inder! " 

With  palpitating  hearts  and  bated  breath,  the  two 
girls  stood  with  their  eyes  glued  upon  the  inscrip- 
tion. Finally,  Mollie,  in  a  solemn  voice,  said  to 
her  companion: 

"Junius  has  never  seen  this.  It  has  been  mislaid. 
It  is  our  duty  to  send  it  to  him  at  once." 

"But  you  do  not  know  where  they  will  go  from 
America,"  referring  to  Hugh  and  Cobb. 

"True,"  sadly.  "We  may  not  see  them  for  a  week 
or  more.  What  shall  we  do?"  in  a  tone  of  in- 
quiry. 

"Why,  put  it  where  he  will  see  it  when  he  re- 
turns," answered  Marie,  as  if  there  was  no  doubt 
of  the  propriety  of  the  action. 

"But  it  says  not  to  delay  in  opening  it,"  per- 
sisted Mollie. 


A.    D.    2000  317 

"Yes,''  slowly;    "it  does."     Then,   after  a  pause: 
"Why  not  open  it,  Mollie?     Maybe  we  may  become 
like  the  good  genii  in  the  fairy  tales,  who    always 
helped  the  poor,  unfortunate  prince  who  was  about 
to  lose  his  sweetheart." 

"Oh,   I  dare  not,"  and  Mollie  shook  her  head. 

"But  you  must;  we  cannot  leave  it  now,"  the 
other  returned. 

"But  dare  I?" 

It  was  evident  that  Mollie' s  curiosity  would 
overcome  her  scruples. 

"Of  course,  you  dare.  We  may  do  some  good. 
At  least,"  hesitatingly,  "it  will  do  no  harm  to  see 
what  that  cylinder  contains." 

So  they  argued  the  point,  and  finally  left  the  room 
bearing  the  cylinder  with  them. 

An  hour  later,  in  the  sanctity  of  Mollie's  feed- 
room,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  file  which  she  had  pro- 
cured, the  cylinder  was  opened.  From  it  Mollie 
drew  forth,  cautiously,  and  with  a  sense  of  fear,  a 
tightly-rolled  paper.  The  cylinder  was  only  half 
an  inch  in  diameter  by  ten  inches  in  length,  and 
the  rolled  paper,  when  spread  out,  was  simply  a 
letter  containing  a  few  words,  yet  with  writing  as 
fresh  as  if  spread  upon  its  surface  only  a  short  time 
since. 

With  heads  together,  and  wonder  in  their  hearts, 
they  read: 

"To  you,  Junius  Cobb,  is  ordained  the  task  of  free- 
ing from  a  living  tomb  a  woman  of  rare  beauty  and 


318  A.    D.    2000 

angelic  disposition  of  heart.  Lose  not  a  moment! 
A  delay  of  a  day  will  cost  you  a  year  of  sorrow! 
Hasten  to  your  duty,  and  God  be  with  you!  On 
the  island  of  Guadalupe,  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  in 
latitude  29  degrees  15  minutes  north,  and  longi- 
tude 41  degrees  16  minutes  west,  is  entombed  a 
woman  whose  return  to  life  may  gladden  your 
heart,  or  be  a  curse  to  your  existence.  Listen,  and 
heed  well  these  instructions:  From  the  town  of 
Noniva,  on  the  island,  travel  southwest,  nineteen 
miles,  to  the  deep  canyons  of  the  dry  fork  of  tjie 
Ninta  River;  pass  up  this  fork  until  you  come  to  a 
tall  and  slender  rock  which  the  superstitious  natives 
have  named  the  'Finger  of  God.'  Set  your  chro- 
nometer with  the  exact  time  of  the  meridian,  and 
when  your  time  shall  indicate  the  hour  of  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  January  6th,  note  care- 
fully the  spot  where  the  shadow  of  the  'Finger  of 
God'  rests  on  the  gray,  steep  rock  of  the  eastern 
side  of  Ninta  Creek.  Along  a  shelving  ledge  on 
the  face  of  the  cliff,  pass  to  the  spot  and  look  for 
the  two  letters  'J.  C.,'  cut  in  the  wall.  Into  the 
lower  point  of  the  letter  J,  which  will  show  a  small 
hole,  drive  a  steel  rod  until  twenty  inches  have 
passed  into  the  rock.  A  door  of  solid  granite  will 
open,  and  you  will  be  at  th^  mouth  of  a  cavern. 
Enter,  and  learn  the  rest."" 

A  feeling  of  awe  came  over  the  hearts  of  the  two 
girls,    as    they  read    this    weird     communication. 


A.    £>.    2000  3ig 

Again  and  again  they  read  the  letter,  and  pondered 
long  over  its  contents. 

"What  does  it  mean?"   gasped  Marie 

But  Molliewas  of  a  more  practical  turn  of  mind. 
She  saw  it  to  be  an  order  for  the  deliverance  of  a 
human  being — a  woman.  Casting  aside  her  feelings 
of  superstition  which  the  reading  of  the  letter  had 
at  first  inspired,  she  commenced  to  debate  in  her 
mind  what  was  the  true  meaning  of  the  instructions 
so  minutely  given.  Taking  the  letter  again  in  her 
hand,  she  carefully  read  it  over. 

"Ah!  this  letter  is  very  old!"  she  exclaimed; 
then  pointing  her  delicate  finger  to  a  line,  she 
cried:  "Do  you  see  that?  'four  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon,' it  says.  It  has  been  years  and  years  since 
the  time  of  day  has  been  designated  as  'o'clock.' 
This  paper  must  be  very  old!  " 

"Yes;  it  must  be  very  old,"  agreed  Marie,  in  a 
low  voice,  reverently  looking  at  the  letter. 

"And  here!  this  must  be  important!  The  shadow 
must  be  seen  on  January  6th  of  any  year,"  and  she 
again  read  the  letter.  "Junius  must  go  at  once,  or 
another  year  will  have  to  be  passed  before  a  trial 
can  be  made."  Then,  musing  a  moment,  she  ex- 
claimed: "It  is  even  less  time  than  I  thought,  for 
if  this  paper  is  as  ancient  as  we  believe,  then  Jan- 
uary 6th  is  really  January  5th,  for  in  old  times, 
New-Year' s-Day  was  January  1st. " 

"Yes?"   from  Marie. 

"Yes,"  sadly.      "It    is   plain  that  we    cannot    get 


320 


A.     P.    2O0O 


word  to  Junius  in  time  for  him  to  reach  Guadalupe 
by  that  day."  Then  starting  up  with  fire  in  her 
eye,  she  cried:  "Why  not  make  the  attempt  our- 
selves?" 

"Oh!"  prolonged,  and  in  amazement,  by  Marie. 
"We  dare  not!  " 

"And  why  dare  we  not,  Miss  Timidity?"  retorted 
Mollie,  scornfully. 

"Because  we  are  only  poor,  weak  women;  it  would 
take  men,  great,  big  men,  to  perform  this  terrible 
task." 

"Oh,  pshaw!  you  are  a  timid  little  mouse;  that's 
what  you  are,  Marie  Hathaway.  I  am  going  to 
rescue  this  woman,  and  you  are  going  with  me," 
grandly.  "Now,  don't  say  a  word,"  as  the  other  at- 
tempted to  speak.  "You  go  immediately  and  get 
everything  ready  for  our  journey;  we  will  leave  for 
San  Diego  to-night,  at  19  dial,  for  I  remember  that 
San  Diego  is  in  latitude  33,  or  thereabouts;  and 
that  should  be  the  place  from  which  to  take  a 
lipthalener. " 

"Truly,  Mollie?"  with  a  look  of  consternation  in 
her  eyes. 

"Yes;  truly!  Now,  Marie;  have  some  courage. 
Will  you  go  with  me  and  aid  me?  or  must  I  go 
alone?"  and  she  put  her  arms  lovingly  about  the 
girl's  waist. 

"If  you  really  and  truly  mean  it,  dear  Mollie,  I 
will  do  as  you  wish,  and  go  with  you;  but  it's  an 
awful  undertaking,"  shaking  her  head. 


A.    D.     2000  321 

Thus  was  it  decided  by  these  two  young  women 
to  go  thousands  of  miles  to  an  unknown  island, 
seek  the  location  of  an  isolated  cavern,  and  bring 
back  to  life  the  prisoner  therein  entombed. 

An  hour  after,  and  Mollie  came  into  the  library, 
where  her  father  was  engaged  in  writing.  Stealing 
softly  up  to  him,  she  put  her  plump  white  arms 
about  his  neck,  and  kissed  his  forehead  reverently. 

"What  is  it  now,  pet?"  he  said,  laying  down  his 
pen. 

"Father,  dear;  I  wish  to  visit  aunt  Lora  in  San 
Francisco;   can  I  go?"   looking  him  in  the  eyes. 

"Why,  yes;  I  suppose  so.  You  may  go  next 
week  if  you  can  get  ready." 

"Not  next  week,  papa.  I  want  to  go  to-night;  on 
the  Central  Pneumatic." 

"What?"  he  exclaimed.  "To-night!  And  why 
this  haste,  my  daughter?"  and  he  gave  her  a  deep, 
searching  look. 

"Father,  have  I  been  a  good,  true  daughter  to  you?" 
and  her  deep  blue  eyes  looked  straight  into  his. 

"In  truth  you  have,  my  daughter,"  and  he  kissed 
her  cheek,  so  close  to  his  lips. 

"Then,  my  dear  father,  I  beg  of  you  one  great 
kindness,  one  great  confidence  in  my  sincerity,  hon- 
esty, and  truthfulness.  Grant  me  permission  to  go 
West  tonight  with  Marie  Colchester;  grant  me  a 
short  time  to  remain,  give  me  a  thousand  dollars, 
and  ask  me  not  to  tell  you  the  reasons  for  my 
strange  request  and  actions." 

A.  D.  2000  21 


322  A.    r>    2000 

"My  daughter,  this  is  very  strange!  "  and  he  arose 
from  his  chair,  took  her  hands  in  his,  and  drew 
her  toward  him.  His  eyes  looked  into  hers  with  an 
earnest  expression.  Steadily,  and  with  an  honest 
eye,  she  returned  his  gaze. 

"Do  you,  indeed,  make  this  request?"  he  slowly 
added. 

"Father,  I  do,"  she  replied. 

"Answer  me  one  question.  Has  Lester  Hathaway 
any  connection  with  this  undertaking?" 

"As  God  sees  me,  he  has  not,"  she  firmlyveplied. 

"My  daughter,  you  shall  go  as  you  desire,  and  ma}' 
God  watch  over  you.  Now  see  your  mother  and  in- 
form her,  and  then  prepare  for  your  journey. " 

She  again  kissed  him,  and  left  the  room. 

At '19  dial  the  two  girls,  clad  in  traveling-dresses, 
and  with  grips  in  their  hands,  entered  the  depot, 
and  were  soon  cozily  ensconced  in  the  fourth  sleeper 
of  the  Central  Pneumatic,  No.  5,  west. 

"What  will  Lester  say  when  he  does  not  find  me 
in  the  conservatory  to-night?"   sighed  Mollie. 

"And  what  will  Hugh  say  when  he  returns  and 
finds  me  gone?"  and  another  deep  sigh  could  have 
been  heard. 

"But  I  left  a  letter  for  him,"  with  a  sly  glance 
toward  the  other. 

"And  I  left  a  note  for  Hugh,"  glancing  toward 
Mollie.  Their  eyes  met,  and  a  smile  lighted  up 
both  faces. 

"Oh!  you  did?"   from  Mollie. 


A.    T>.    2000  323 

"Ah!    you  did?"  retorted  Marie. 

On  rushed  the  train.  Miles  upon  miles  were  left 
behind  them,  and  the  hours  sped  by.  The}'  should 
be  at  El  Paso  at  6:  30  dial  the  next  morning,  and  at 
San  Diego  at  10  dial.  It  would  be  nearly  11  dial 
before  they  would  be  able  to  search  for  a  vessel  to 
take  them  to  Guadalupe. 

The  time  was  passing,  and  it  was  with  a  troubled 
mind  that  Moll ie  surveyed  the  route  and  the  time  at 
her  command.  With  beating  hearts,  the  two  girls 
watched  the  hours  pass  as  the  train  rushed  along 
to  the  Pacific;  eagerly  did  they  look  for  the  ap- 
proach of  the  city  by  the  sea. 

It  was  12  dial  when  the  train  reached  the  city  of 
San  Diego.  Quickly  disembarking,  the  girls  en- 
tered a  drag,  and  were  rapidly  propelled  to  the 
Great  Pacific.  Once  within  the  office  of  the  hotel, 
Mollie  excitedly  asked  for  information  as  to  what 
lipthaleners  were  in  the  port. 

"None,  madame,"  was  the  calm  reply  of  the  clerk. 
Her  heart  sank  within  her  bosom  at  the  words. 
"There  are  none  but  sailing  vessels  in  the  har- 
bor; will  madame  have  use  for  one  of  themv'  con- 
tinued the  man,  noticing  her  agitation. 

"No;  and  yes — I  cannot  tell.  Show  us  a  room 
and  serve  breakfast  there,  and  at  once,"  was  the  im- 
patient reply. 

Durifig  their  breakfast,  the  two  girls  discussed  the 
situation,  but  without  arriving  at  any  solution  as 
to  how  'they  would  reach  Guadalupe  Island. 


324 


A.    D.    2000 


Having  partaken  of  a  light  repast,  they  proceeded 
to  the  docks  to  find  some  means  of  transportation  to 
the  island.  Not  a  lipthalener  was  in  port,  and 
but  few  sailing  vessels.  To  her  inquiries,  Mollie 
was  informed  that  the  island  was  120  leagues 
southwest,  and  no  sailing  vessel  could  make  the 
voyage  in  less  than  three  days,  with  the  best  of 
winds;  and  that  the  chances  were  that  it  would 
take  five. 

Disheartened,  she  and  Marie  turned  back  to  the 
hotel. 

Fate  was  against  them,  and  they  would  not  be 
able  to  rescue  the  imprisoned  girl  ere  another  year 
had  come  and  passed.  Would  the  woman  live 
through  another  year?  Would  she  not  die,  if  yet 
alive?  Was  she  yet  alive?  Such  were  the  ques- 
tions Mollie  asked  herself. 

Often  and  often  she  went  out  on  the  porch,  and 
scanned  the  horizon  for  the  approach  of  a  liptha- 
lener. 

Sixteen  dial  came,  and  found  poor  Mollie  in  a 
fever  of  anxiety.  I  no  lipthalener  came  into  port 
before  20  dial,  her  case  was  hopeless.  It  was  350 
miles  to  Guadalupe  Island,  and  she  must  be  there 
at  10  dial  the  next  day,  in  order  to  have  sufficient 
time  to  reach  Ninta  Creek  and  make  her  prepara- 
tions. Discouraged,  she  sat  and  buried  her  face  in 
her  hands,  while  Marie,  in  S3^mpathy,  put  her  arms 
about  her,  and  tried  to  comfort  the  sinking 
heart. 


a.  r>.  2000  325 

Hark!  What  was  that  sound?  Like  a  flash  of 
lightning,  Mollie  was  on  her  feet. 

"Did  you  hear  it,  Marie?"  she  cried,  excit- 
edly. 

"Yes;  what  was  it?"  the  other  replied  with 
equal  excitement. 

There!    there!      Do    you    hear  it?     There    it    is 
again!  "   and  the  girl  danced   for  very  joy. 

The  hoarse,  rolling  sound  of  a  marine  whistle 
was  plainly  heard  by  both. 

"A  lipthalener  !  A  lipthalener!  "  they  both  cried, 
and  rushed  out  on  to  the  porch. 

Coming  around  the  fortress  point  was  a  magnifi- 
cent cruiser  of  about  3,000  tons.  Her  black  hull 
and  raking,  yardless  masts  proclaimed  her  calling; 
the  flag  at  the  peak,  the  glorious  stars  and  stripes, 
proclaimed  her  nationality.  Off  the  lower  dock, 
and  a  half-mile  from  it,  she  came  to  anchor,  and 
her  great  hull  swung  around  with  the  tide. 

"Come,  Marie;  no  time  is  to  be  lost!"  and  Mol- 
lie rushed  into  the  parlor,  seized  her  hat,  and 
quickly  made  her  way  to  the  dock. 

For  a  dollar,  a  boatman  gladly  took  them  in  his 
little  craft,  and  rowed  to  where  the  lipthalener  lay 
quietly  at  her  anchors. 

"Ahoy!  On  deck!  Is  the  captain  on  board?" 
cried  the  boatman,  as  he  held  off  by  a  hook  against 
the  side  of  the  big  vessel. 

"You'll  think  so,  you  lubber,  if  he  sees  that  hook 
in    his    vessel,"  came    the    response    from  the  port 


326  A.    D.    2000 

bows.     "Heave  off  and  lie  to,  and    I'll  report,"  and 
the  man  and  voice  disappeared 

A    moment    after,  a    man    in  the  uniform  of    the 
United    States  navy,  appeared    at    the    companion 
way  and  cried: 

"Ahoy!      What's  wanted?" 

"Two  ladies  wish  to  come  aboard  and  speak  "  to 
the  captain,  sir,"  replied  the  boatman,  touching 
his  hat  in  a  nautical  fashion. 

"Very  well.      Heave  to  on  the  starboard  side." 

A  few  minutes  later  Mollie  and  Marie  were  in 
the  captain's  cabin  of  the  San  Francisco,  and  had 
asked  its  commander  to  take  them  to  Guadalupe 
Island. 

"But,  ladies,"  replied  Captain  Gordon,  a  bluff  but 
kind-hearted  old  gentleman  of  fifty-five  years, 
"this  is  rather  an  unusual  request  upon  the  United 
States  navy,  and  comes  from  a  very  unusual  source; 
yes,  a  very  unusual  source  indeed,  but  a  very  charm- 
ing source,  I  must  confess,"  and  he  bowed  gal- 
lantly to  the  two  girls. 

"I  know  it,  Captain;  but  the  case  is  one  of  life 
or  death:  I  must  be  in  Guadalupe  Island  at  10  dial 
to-morrow."  Mollie  looked  beseechingly  at  him  as 
she  spoke. 

"I  wish  I  could  accommodate  you,  ladies;  but  I 
fear  it  is  impossible." 

Mol lie's  heart  almost  ceased  to  throb  as  she 
heard  these  words. 

"I  am  here  for    dispatches,"  continued  the    cap- 


A.    n.    2000 


327 


tain,  "and  expect  to  leave    for    San    Francisco    to- 
morrow morning. " 

"But,"  pleaded  Mollie,  "it  will  only  take  a  half- 
day  to  make  the  run — " 

"And  a  half-day  back  again,"  interrupted  the 
captain,  "is  a  whole  day.  Why,  my  children,  I 
might  be  court-martialed  if  I  were  to  do  this 
thing. " 

"But,  if  I  promise  that  you  not  only  will  not  be 
court-martialed,  but  will  receive  the  commendation 
of  the  President,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy, 
will  you  go?' 

"If  you  could  guarantee  this,  ladies,  why,  damn 
me! — I  beg  your  pardon— I  would  do  it,  just  to 
please  two  such  lovely  girls  as  honor  my  cabin  by 
their  presence  to-day;  but,  of  course,  you  cannot  do 
it." 

"But  I  can!  "  cried  Mollie,  "and  your  promise  is 
given.  I  am  Miss  Mollie  Craft,  the  President's 
daughter:  in  his  name,  I  guarantee  approval  of 
your  action. " 

The  beautiful  girl  arose  from  her  chair,  and  stood 
proudly  before  the  old  sailor. 

Without  moving  a  muscle  of  his  face,  Captain 
Gordon  slowly  said: 

"Pardon  me,  ladies,  but  any  woman  could  have 
uttered  those  words. " 

Crushed,  and  with  a  sinking  feeling  at  her  heart, 
Mollie  nearly  fell  at  his  feet.  He  doubted  her,  and 
she  had  nothing  to  prove  her  identity. 


328  A.    D.    2000 

Deliberately  came  the  words: 

"Have  you  anything  to  prove  your  relationship 
to  the  President?" 

"Alas,  nothing!  "  she  cried,  and  the  tears  filled 
her  eyes. 

"No  letter  in  which  you  are  recognized?"  he 
kindly  asked. 

Ah!  Stay!  Hope  again  rose  within  her  soul. 
Quickly  thrusting  her  hand  into  her  pocket,  she 
drew  out  a  letter.  Nervously  she  broke  the  seal, 
and  glanced  over  its  contents.  A  ray  of  sunshine 
came  into  her  tear-bedimmed  eyes,  heir  bosom  heaved 
for  a  moment,  and  then  she  became  calm.  Handing 
the  letter  to  the  captain,  she  said: 

"The  letter  is  to  my  aunt,  in  San  Francisco,  and 
was  written  by  my  father  just  before  my  departure." 

Captain  Gordon  took  the  letter,  and,  instantly 
recognizing  the  executive  heading,  slowly  read: 

"Washington,  January  3,  2001. 
"Dear  Lora: 

"She  is  the  only  daughter  I  have,   sister,  and  you 

must  watch    over    her  carefully.     We  cannot  afford 

to  lose  our  Mollie. 

****** 

"Affectionately,  your  brother, 

"Emory  D.   Craft." 

As  he  finished  reading  the  letter,  Captain  Gordon 
rose  from  his  chair,  advanced  toward  Mollie,  and 
extended  his  hand. 


A.     D.     2000  329- 

"You  will  pardon  my  doubts,  will  you  not,  Miss 
Craft?"  he  asked;  "but  men  in  official  positions 
must  protect  themselves.  I  no  longer  doubt  your 
identity;  the  San  Francisco  is  at  your  command,'' 
and  he  bowed  low  to  her. 

"I  thank  you,  Captain  Gordon,  and  you  will  not 
lose  by  this  kind  act." 

Mollie's  eyes  were  again  flowing  with  tears,  but 
now  tears  of  joy. 

"When  do  you  desire  to  start,  Miss  Craft?" 

"At  once,"  she  cried. 

"Return,  then,  dear  ladies,  and  get  your  effects. 
I  will  leave  the  port  in  half  an  hour." 

Thirty  minutes  sped  by,  and  Mollie  and  Marie 
were  again  on  board  the  San  Francisco.  Then  came 
the  orders  to  weigh  anchor,  much  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  all  the  crew,  and  the  vessel  moved  slowly 
toward  the  fortress  at  the  point  of  the  harbor. 

As  the  San  Francisco  approached  the  north  water 
battery,  the  sound  of  a  gun  was  heard,  and  the  flag 
on  the  battery-staff  was  dipped  twice,  then  a  red 
streamer  was  run  up  the  staff,  and  a  boat  put  off 
from  the  mole. 

"Hard  aport,  Mr.  Navigator,  and  stop  the  ship," 
cried  the  captain,  who  was  standing  on  the  bridge 
by  the  side  of  Mollie,  who  had  been  invited  there 
as  the  commander  of  the  vessel  for  a  day. 

Slowly  the  great  ship  ceased  on  her  course,  and 
awaited  the  little  craft,  which  came  rushing  through 
the  water,  propelled  by  a  lipthalene  screw. 


330  A:    b.   aood 

"The  dispatch  boat,  sir,"  said  the  officer  of  the 
deck,  touching  his  cap. 

"So  I  perceive,"  returned  the  captain.  "You  will 
receive  the  dispatches  and  cast  her  off,  as  we  must 
not  delay. ' 

"Very  well,  sir;  and  the  officer  again  saluted, 
and  passed  to  the  companion-way. 

A  moment  later  the  dispatches  had  been  received, 
and  handed  to  Captain  Gordon.  Breaking  the  port 
seal,  he  read  the  dispatch;  then,  hesitating  a 
moment,  he  handed  it  to  Mollie,  and  noted  the 
sudden  paleness  of  her  face  as  she  slowly  reached 
forth  her  hand  and  took  it. 

With  a  feeling  of  impending  evil,  she  read  the 
paper: 

"Washington,  January  4,  15  d. 
"To   Captain    Gordon,     U.   S.   L.   San    Francisco,    San 

Diego,   Cal. 

'(Due  at  and  hold.) 

"Proceed  to  San  Francisco  at  once.  Make  no  de- 
lays. C.   Scofield, 

"Secretary  of  Navy." 

With  a  beating  heart  and  a  quivering  lip,  the 
girl  handed  it  back. 

"And  you  will  obey  this  order?"  she  slowly 
asked. 

"It  is  imperative,"  he  replied. 

Almost  out  of  the  harbor,  almost  away  from  the 
chance  of  a  telegram,  she  had  become  happy  and 
cheerful    once    more.      Now    it    was    changed:   this 


A.     D.    2000  331 

man  would  not  dare,  no  matter  how  she  prayed,  to 
violate  such  an  order. 

Bursting  into  tears,  a  woman's  resource  to  re- 
lieve her  overcharged  heart,  she  looked  into  his 
face,  and  again  asked: 

"And  you  will  obey  these  instructions?" 

"Damn  it;  no!  I — pardon  me,  I — I — well,  damn  it ! 
the  course  of  this  vessel  will  not  be  changed;  she 
goes  to  Guadalupe  Island.  There!"  blowing  as  if 
from  some  great  exertion,  and  wiping  his  forehead 
in  a  vigOBOus  manner.  "If  they  dismiss  me  from 
the  service  for  it,  you  shall  perform  your  mission 
on  that  island,"  and  the  good  old  man  walked  to 
the  extremity  of  the  bridge  to  hide  his  agitation, 
and  escape  the  thanks  which  Mollie  was  about  to 
shower  upon  him. 

The  sea  was  rough,  and  the  southwest  winds  blow- 
ing a  small  gale,  a  combination  that  told  on  the 
speed  of  the  San  Francisco,  swift  as  she  was.  The 
350  miles  became  nearly  450,  and  it  was  not  until 
4  dial  the  next  day,  that  anchors  were  cast  in  the 
harbor  of  Noniva,  Guadalupe  Island. 

Mollie  Craft  had  had  a  long  conversation  with  the 
ship's  surgeon,  Dr.  Town,  the  day  previous,  and 
had  shown  him  the  mysterious  letter,  and  asked  his 
assistance;  the  doctor  had  readily  consented  to  aid 
her  by  all  means  in  his  power. 

Captain  Gordon  gave  Mollie  until  20  dial  to 
return  to  the  vessel  before  shaping  his  course  for 
San  Francisco. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

At  8  dial  that  bright  day  of  January  5,  2001,  an  ex- 
pectant and  anxious  party  left  the  deck  of  the  San 
Francisco,  and  landed  at  the  mole  of  Noniva.  The 
Doctor  had  two  men  from  the  ship  to  carry  the 
stretcher — he  was  a  thoughtful  man,  and  always 
had  a  stretcher  along  for  emergencies — and  the 
tools  and  such  things  as  he  believed  might  be 
needed.  In  the  town,  saddle  mules  were  obtained, 
and  the  party  of  five  quietly  left  the  vicinity,  as  if 
for  a  day's  camping  in  the  hills. 

The  journey  was  through  a  broken  and  thickly- 
wooded  country,  and  the  traveling  slow  and 
tedious.  It  was  long  past  the  meridian  when  the 
party  reached  and  passed  up  the  dry  bed  of  the 
Ninta  River,  and  nearly  15  dial  when  "The  Finger  of 
God,"  which  all  recognized  from  the  description  fur- 
nished by  the  natives  of  Noniva,  was  reached. 

The  gray  cliffs  on  either  bank  of  the  river  were 
steep  and  rugged.  Huge  festoons  of  tropical 
growth  covered  them  from  top  to  bottom,  and  stunted 
pines  stood  nodding  their  crested  heads  among  the 
rocky  crevices.  Already  the  shadow  of  the  rock  was 
creeping  up  the  eastern  bank,  and  by  its  position 
the  pathway  ledge  was  easily  found. 

Leaving  the  two  seamen  at  the  base  of  the  rock, 
Dr.   Town,  with  the    tools  which    he   had    brought, 

332 


a.  r>.  2000  333 

and  followed  by  the  two  girls,  carefully  made  his 
way  up  the  narrow,  overhanging  ledge,  and  stood 
near  the  point  of  the  dark  shadow  on  the  face  of  the 
rock.  With  watch  in  hand,  which  he  had  set  to 
the  meridian  of  Guadalupe,  he  awaited  the  time  of 
16  dial,  or  4  p.  m.,  as  recorded  by  the  author  of  the 
letter  of  instructions. 

The  minutes  passed  slowly — too  slowly  for  the 
two  girls,  who  stood  by  his  side.  Their  feelings 
were  wrought  to  a  fever  heat;  their  hearts  beat  a 
tattoo  within  their  bosoms,  and  a  fear  of  some 
dreadful  revelation  possessed  their  souls. 

The  shadow  crept  on;  the  sun  was  going  down  to 
its  bed  in  the  ocean,  which  spread  out  in  every  di- 
rection. On  moved  the  shadow;  it  had  reached  a 
dense  cluster  of  mountain-ivy,  which  completely 
hid  the  rock  from  view:    the  hour  was    15:55    dial. 

Seizing  a  large  knife  from  his  bundle  of  tools,  the 
doctor  sprang  quickly  to  the  spot,  and  with  dis- 
patch, cleared  away  the  evergreen,  exposing  the  solid 
rock  of  the  cliffs.  With  his  eyes  upon  his  watch, 
he  noted  the  passing  moments. 

"Sixteen  dial!"  he  cried,  and  placed  the  point  of 
his  knife  at  the  end  of  the  shadow  of  the  "Finger  of 
God." 

Carefully  marking  the  spot,  he  diligently  searched 
for  the  letters  mentioned  in  the  communication. 
Not  a  trace  of  a  letter  was  visible;  the  virgin  rock 
lay  bare,  and  undefiled  by  human  hands  Above, 
below,  and  on  either  side,  his  search    was    equally 


334  A-   D-    2°°° 

unsuccessful,  and  as  he  communicated  the  result  of 
his  examination  to  Mollieand  Marie,  consternation 
seized  upon  them.  Could  it  be  that  they  had  been 
deceived,  and  that  the  contents  of  the  letter  were 
false,  and  made  for  some  purpose  of  alluring  Junius 
Cobb  to  this  spot?  They  looked  at  each  other  in 
bewilderment. 

Suddenly  the  doctor  exclaimed: 

"Ah!      It  may  be  that!" 

"What,  doctor?"  they  both  cried,  excitedly. 

But  the  doctor  made  no  reply;  he  was  climbing 
up  the  cliff,  straight  up  from  the  knife-mark  in  the 
rock.  With  the  celerity  of  a  man  intensely  excited, 
he  cut  and  slashed  away  the  ivy,  and  threw  it  into 
the  ravine;  then,  looking  at  his  watch,  he  noted  that 
twenty-five  minutes  had  passed  since  the  shadow  of 
the  rock  had  reached  the  point  which  he  had 
marked.  Noting  the  variation  of  the  shadow  from 
the  vertical  for  these  twenty-five  minutes,  he  drew 
his  knife  slowly  and  carefully  up  the  face  of  the 
cliff,  from  the  mark  which  he  had  made  to  where 
the  shadow  of  the  "Finger  of  God"  then  rested,  the 
knife  describing  the  path  of  the  shadow. 

Turning  to  Mollie,  who  had  been  watching  his 
movements  in  wonder,  he  said: 

"If  the  instructions  are  correct,  then  will  the 
characters  'J.  C  be  found  near  the  line  which  my 
knife  has  described ;  for  the  letter,  if  true,  as  I 
have  remarked,  was  written  a  long  time  ago,  and 
the   'Finger  of  God'   was  taller  then  than  it    is    to- 


a.   d.  2000  335 

day,  as  the  elements  must  have  worn  many  inches 
from  its  top  in  the  course  of  a  great  number  of 
years;  its  shadow  was  higher  up  the  cliff,  at  any 
particular  hour  of  the  day,  at  a  remote  period,  than 
it  is  to-day.  Now  come  and  examine  closely  along 
the  line  I  have  described." 

With  diligence  and  care,  all  three  scanned  the 
face  of  the  rock,  scraped  away  the  mold,  and 
sought  to  find  the  key  to  the  mysterious  cavern. 

Suddenly  Mollie  gave  a  scream — an  exultant 
scream — and  cried: 

"Here  it  is!      Here  it  is!      I  have  found  them!" 

Crowding  about  her,  the  other  two  saw  before 
them  the  letters  in  the  rock.  Small,  discolored, 
and  covered  with  a  green  moss,  it  was  a  wonder 
they  had  been  discovered  at  all.  Yes,  there  they 
were,  "J.  C. "  Leaning  over,  Dr.  Town  took  his  pen- 
knife and  carefully  dug  the  moss  away  from  the 
point  of  the  J,  and  exposed  the  hole  mentioned  in 
the  letter. 

There  was  no  farce,  no  falsehood  in  the  commu- 
nication, after  all;  at  least,  not  as  regards  the  let- 
ters "J.  C. "  and  the  hole  in  the  J.  The  decisive 
moment  had  arrived. 

Putting  the  point  of  the  steel  rod,  which  he  had 
brought  along  for  the  purpose,  into  the  hole,  the 
doctor  drove  it  in  to  its  full  length.  A  creaking, 
cracking  sound  followed,  and  the  rock  in  front  of 
them  sank  into  the  side  of  the  cliff,  leaving  ex- 
posed a  doorway  about    six   feet    high   by  three    in 


336  A.    D.    2000 

width.  Involuntarily  all  started  back  as  the  yawn- 
ing, dark  passage  was  exposed,  and  a  cry  of  alarm 
escaped  the  lips  of  Marie. 

The  opening  had  been  made,  but  the  interior  was 
dark  and  unknown. 

"I  will  go  in,"  said  the  doctor,  "and  explore  the 
place;    I  will  return,  and  inform  you  if   it  is  safe." 

"Oh,  I  am  not  afraid,"  returned  Mollie;  "cer- 
tainly there  can  be  nothing  there  to  harm  us." 

"Oh,  but  there  may  be!"  broke  in  Marie. 

"Go  in,  doctor;  we  will  follow  you,"  not  heeding 
Marie's  alarm. 

Dr.  Town  lighted  a  lantern,  and,  followed  by  the 
girls,  passed  in  through  the  opening.  A  passage  of 
some  fifteen  feet  in  length  hewed  into  the  solid 
rock,  led  them  into  a  large  chamber  with  a  high 
and  arched  roof.  As  the  light  of  the  lantern  threw 
its  rays  about  the  room,  its  contents  were  plainly 
discernible  by  all. 

The  walls  were  draped  with  beautiful  silks  and 
plushes;  chandeliers  were  suspended  from  the 
arched  roof;  costly  chairs  with  embroidered  cush- 
ions were  upon  every  side;  books  and  works  of  art 
lay  upon  the  massive  center-table  and  about  the 
room.  A  thousand  objects  of  beauty  and  richness 
adorned  the  large  chamber. 

As  they  walked  across  the  room,  a  light  cloud  of 
dust  rose  at  their  feet  as  the  carpet  gave  way  in 
its  rottenness.  Reaching  out  her  hand,  Mollie  took 
a    book    from  the    table,   and  was  about  to  open  it, 


A.  D.   2000  337 

when  it  fell  to  the  floor  in  a  mass  of  rotten  fibre.  A 
beautiful  picture  hanging  on  the  wall,  its  oil  col- 
oring still  fresh  and  its  gilded  frame  yet  bright  and 
handsome,  was  accidentally  struck  by  the  doctor, 
and  came  tumbling  to  the  ground,  in  a  heap  of  de- 
cayed wood  and  canvas.  The  table,  with  all  its 
beautiful  ornaments,  was  but  a  phantom;  for,  as 
they  endeavored  to  move  it  to  one  side,  it  fell  to 
the  floor  in  ruins.  Time  and  nature  had  caused 
such  decay  that  it  seemed  to  need  but  the  touch  of 
man  to  change  the  vision  of  enchantment  into  a 
scene  of  ruin  and  chaos. 

There  was  no  moisture,  no  mold;  but  apparently 
a  dry-rotting  process  had  been  at  work  for  years, 
and  the  destructible  articles  of  the  chamber  were 
ready  to  fall  in  pieces  at  the  least  shock. 

From  the  first  chamber  opened  a  second,  to  the 
left,  and  here  was  found  what  appeared  to  have 
been  a  kitchen.  Utensils  of  all  kinds  were  scattered 
about  as  if  left  where  they  had  been  last  used; 
dishes  of  finest  china  lay  broken  on  the  floor, 
where  also  lay  the  once  beautiful  sideboard,  now 
fallen  by  its  weight  and  rottenness;  decay  worse 
than  was  found  in  the  first  chamber  pervaded  the 
place.  A  large  oil-stove  in  one  corner,  and  glass  bot- 
tles with  seals  upon  them,  gave  evidence  of  the 
methods  which  had  been  pursued  in  this  the  culi- 
nary department  of  the  establishment. 

From  this  room  a  long  passage  opened  to  the 
right,  and  led  deep  into  the  cliff.     With  feelings  of 

A.  D.  2000      22 


338  A.    D.    2000 

awe,  not  unmixed  with  terror  on  the  part  of  Marie, 
the  three  moved  forward.  The  light  flashed  upon 
the  dark,  rocky  walls,  and  was  absorbed  in  their 
dingy  gray. 

Moving  cautiously  forward,  a  dozen  steps  brought 
them  to  a  third  chamber,  small  and  low.  Mollie, 
who  was  close  in  rear  of  the  doctor,  glanced  in  as 
the  light  penetrated  the  darkness  of  the  room. 
With  a  scream,  she  drew  back,  shuddering  with 
fear,  and  clasped  Marie  in  her  arms: 

"A  skeleton!  "  she  cried.     "A  coffin!  " 

The  fear  was  contagious;  Marie  sank  to  the 
ground,  trembling  like  a  leaf,  and,  in  her  fall, 
dragged  Mollie  with  her.  There  they  lay,  fright- 
ened, and  with  chattering  teeth. 

"Come,  young  ladies,"  brusquely  said  the  doctor, 
"there  is  nothing  to  be  afraid  of.  Scared  at  a  skel- 
eton, eh?  I  thought  you  had  more  nerve,"  to  Mol- 
lie. 

"But  it  was  so  sudden,"  she  gasped;  "and  it 
seems  so  terrible." 

"Well,  there  is  nothing  to  fear,"  as  he  assisted 
them  to  their  feet. 

"O  Mollie!      Let  us  go!  "  cried  Marie. 

"Stuff  and  nonsense!  "  broke  in  the  doctor.  "Let 
us  fathom  this  mystery.     We  will     go  in." 

In  the  center  of  the  chamber  and  on  a  high  bier, 
covered  with  black  velvet,  which  fell  in  great  folds 
to  the  floor,  lay  a  golden  casket.  It  bore  no  orna- 
mentation, save    the     beading    of    silver    about  its 


A.   D.    2000  339 

edges.  Its  top  was  of  glass,  and  a  wreath  of  the 
most  exquisite  flowers  lay  near  the  head.  On  the 
four  corners  of  the  great  black  pall  were  sprigs  of 
immortelles,  and  at  the  head  of  the  casket,  a  wreath 
of  orange  blossoms.  The  floor  of  the  chamber  was  of 
slabs  of  white  marble,  skillfully  laid  and  joined  to- 
gether. 

At  the  side  of  the  room,  upon  a  low  couch,  lay  the 
skeleton  of  a  human  being;  the  grinning  skull  was 
turned  upon  one  side,  with  its  yawning,  eyeless  sock- 
ets turned  toward  the  casket  in  the  center  of  the 
chamber. 

The  garments  which  had  been  worn  in  life,  still 
clung  about  the  form,  and  showed  it  to  have  been 
a  man.  Upon  a  small  table,  at  the  head  of  the 
couch,  stood  a  bronze  lamp,  from  which  the  oil  had 
long  since  passed  into  vapor;  a  paper  lay  by  its 
side,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  couch  stood  an  iron 
box. 

Reverently  they  moved  toward  the  casket,  and, 
with  feelings  wrought  up  to  the  highest  pitch, 
looked  through  the  glass  top.  Again  did  the  girls 
cry  out  in  their  wonder  and  awe;  and  the  doctor, 
accustomed  though  he  was  to  sights  of  death, 
pressed  his  hand  to  his  head,  and  stared  with  eyes 
almost  starting  from  their  sockets. 

Within  the  casket,  upon  the  whitest  silk,  lay  the 
form  of  a  woman  of  wondrous  beauty — a  form  of 
the  most  exquisite  shape,  a  face  of  the  rarest 
mold;    hair  of  the  fairest  golden    blonde,  and  hands 


34°  A.    D.     2000 

and  feet  as  delicate  and  small  as  a  girl's.  Naked 
from  her  feet  to  her  loins,  and  exposing  a  bust  of 
wondrous  form,  she  lay  among  the  folds  of  the 
white  silk  lining.  A  swathing  of  bandages  covered 
the  abdomen,  and  the  mouth  was  wrapped  in  cloth. 
By  her  side  lay  a  golden  saucer,  and  another,  filled 
with  a  black  substance,  lay  at  her  head. 

Silently  they  stood  and  gazed  upon  the  motionless 
form.  Within  her  casket  she  lay  in  death  before 
them,  but  such  a  death  as  none  had  ever  seen  be- 
fore. The  eyelids  closed,  the  face  as  white  as  the 
driven  snow,  the  hands  folded  upon  her  bosom,  it 
seemed  to  all  that  sacrilege  had  been  committed 
by  intruding  within  the  sacred  precincts  of  her 
tomb. 

The  awe-inspiring  silence  was  at  last  broken  by 
the  voice  of  the  doctor,  who  had  recovered  himself, 
and  whose  thoughts  had  come  back  again  to  the 
duty  of  the  present. 

"This  is  a  most  remarkable  discovery,  ladies, "he 
slowly  said;  "but  we  should  look  for  a  further  so- 
lution of  the  mystery.  We  can  do  nothing  by 
standing  here  and  gazing  at  this  wondrous  vision." 

Laying  his  hand  on  the  pall  near  the  head  of  the 
casket,  the  velvet  fell  in  dust  and  rags  to  the  floor, 
and  the  sprig  of  immortelles,  striking  the  marble 
slab,  became  mashed  and  battered.  Picking  up 
the  flowers,  he  examined  them  carefully. 

"Why,  they  are  made  of  gold  and  silver  and  pre- 
cious stoney,"  he  exclaimed,  in  astonishment. 


A.     D.     2000 


341 


Then  they  examined  the  three  remaining  sprigs, 
and  the  wreath  of  orange  blossoms  at  the  head  of 
the  casket;  all  were  of  the  finest  gold  and  silver, 
and  diamonds"  were  the  petal-points  of  the  flowers. 
Wondering  much,  the  doctor  then  took  those  from 
the  top  of  the  casket,  and  found  them,  likewise,  of 
the  same  precious  materials.  But  in  removing  the 
last  bunch  of  flowers,  a  discovery  had  been  made- 
Where  the  wreath  of  golden  flowers  had  lam,  was 
now  seen    a    silver    plate,   covered    with    engraved 

letters.  .         ,      , 

"Perhaps  we  have  a  clue  to  the  identity  of  the 
beautiful  woman  who  lies  in  this  casket,"  ex- 
claimed the  doctor,  as  he  threw  the  rays  of  the 
light  upon  the  plate  on  the  top  of  the  casket. 

Crowding  close  to  him,  all  three  read  the  words 
cut  in  the  silver  plate: 

-My  Daughter:    To  God   I   trust   thee;  into  His 
keeping  I  give  thee.     O  Junius!     If  thou  hast,  m 
years  past  and  numbered  in  the  great  cycle  of  time, 
loved,    and  loved  with  steadfast  heart,  then    arise 
and  rescue  that  love  from  oblivion;   but-and  search 
thy  heart  to  its    utmost    depths-if    such    love  has 
never  been,  or  is    past    and  gone,    turn  back    again, 
and  leave   to   eternal  rest  the    being    who   lies  en- 
tombed before  you-my  daughter,  Marie  Colchis. 
'    "Within    the    second    chamber  are  batteries  and 
means    of    obtaining  heat,  and  fluids  of   life-giving 
principles.     Cause  the  chamber   to    be  warmed,  ar- 
range   the    batteries    for    current,   and  prepare  the 


342  A-  D-  2000 

nourishment  which  you  will  find  in  the  glass  jars. 
When  all  is  ready,  cover  your  nostrils  well,  break 
the  top  glass  of  the  casket,  quickly  seize  the  form 
therein  lying,  and    bear  it  to  the    second    chamber. 

"Once  within  the  warmth  of  that  room,  tear  off 
the  bandages,  and  apply  the  poles  of  the  battery  to 
the  heart,  in  front,  and  over  the  fifth  rib,  in  the 
back.  Let  the  current  come  with  all  its  force.  If 
it  be  God's  will,  the  form  will  shake,  will  quiver, 
open  its  eyes,  will  breathe,  and  become  a  living 
woman  once  again.  Nourishment  and  care  are  all 
that  will  be  required  to  complete  the  resurrection. 
Within  the  folds  of  the  bandages  over  the  heart  lies 
a  golden  case  containing  a  letter  which  is  to  be 
read  by  my  daughter  alone.  Give  it  to  her  when 
she  is  recovered,  and  may  God  be  with  you. 

"Jean  Colchis." 

"Ah!"  sighed  Mollie,  with  tears  in  her  eyes;  "1 
see  it  all — I  know  it  all!  "  Then,  with  all  semblance 
of  fear  vanished  from  her  heart,  she  cried: 

"To  work,  doctor!      To  work!  " 

Dr.  Town  was  a  man  quick  to  grasp  a  situation. 
He  did  not  stop  to  wonder  or  ask  questions.  To 
be  sure,  he  was  very  much  surprised  at  what  he 
saw,  and  at  Mollie's  exclamation,  but  he  was  pre- 
pared to  rescue  a  woman  therein  entombed — this 
from  a  knowledge  of  the  contents  of  the  letter 
found  in  the  copper  cylinder,  and  which  Mollie  had 
shown  him.  Wasting  no  time  in  speculation,  the 
instructions  engraved  upon  the  tablet  on  the  top  of 


a.  d.   2000  343 

the  casket  were  carefully  followed  out.  Returning 
to  the  second  chamber,  they  commenced  their  work. 
Oil  was  found  in  the  sealed  bottles,  and  put  into  the 
stove,  whose  asbestos  wick  would  still  perform  its 
functions.  The  stove  was  soon  aglow  with  a  bright 
flame,  and  its  warmth  diffused  about  the  chamber. 
The  batteries  were  ready  for  adjustment,  and  only 
required  the  dropping  of  the  carbons  into  the  elec- 
tropoion  fluid.  The  bottles  of  beef  extract  and  flu- 
ids of  nourishment  were  opened,  and  their  contents 
prepared  upon  the  stove.  Clothing  from  their  own 
persons  was  prepared  by  the  two  girls,  as  none  could 
be  found  about  the  place. 

When  all  was  ready,  the  doctor  prepared  to 
break  the  glass  top  of  the  casket. 

"Remain  here,"  he  said  to  them,  "and  I  will 
bring  her  to  you;  "  then,  modestly:  "and  you  shall 
strip  off  the  bandages  and  cover  her  form;  but  leave 
bare  her  bosom  and  back. " 

Having  given  his  instructions,  he  proceeded  to  the 
chamber  wherein  Marie  Colchis  lay. 

A  moment  of  silence  followed,  then  a  crash  was 
heard,  and  the  doctor  came  staggering  into  the 
room  with  the  drooping,  lifeless  form  of  Marie  Col- 
chis in  his  arms.  Laying  her  upon  a  bed,  which 
had  been  improvised  from  their  wraps,  he  cried,  as 
he  turned  away: 

"Quick!  Strip  off  the  bandages,  and  tell  me  when 
you  are  ready!  " 

A  moment  later,  when  the     girls    had    performed 


344  A-   "■   2000 

their  work  and  had  called  upon  him  to  come,  he 
was  by  their  side,  and  had  adjusted  the  copper 
plates;  then,  pushing  down  the  carbons  into  the  bat- 
teries, he  seized  her  hand  and  placed  his  finger  on 
her  pulse.  As  the  current  of  electricity  passed 
through  her  heart,  there  was  a  spasmodic  contrac- 
tion of  the  muscles  of  the  body,  a  quivering  of  the 
flesh,  a  gasp,  and  her  lovely  bosom  rose  and  fell  as 
the  air  was  inhaled  and  expelled;  then  the  lips 
parted,  and  a  low,  deep  sigh  escaped,  her  eyes 
opened,  and  she  lived. 

"What  is  it?"  she  asked,  in  a  quiet,  weak 
voice. 

"Hush!  You  must  not  speak;  you  are  ill,"  has- 
tily said  the  doctor.  "Drink  this,  and  you  will  feel 
better,"  and  he  put  the  cup  of  liquid  to  her  lips. 

Mechanically  the  girl  obeyed  the  order,  and  drank 
the  warm  broth;  then,  closing  her  eyes,  she  became 
motionless,  save  a  slight  rising  and  falling  of  the 
bosom  in  breathing.  Gently  throwing  aside  her 
clothing,  the  doctor  commenced  a  brisk  rubbing 
of  the  legs,  arms,  and  body  along  the  spine.  The 
heat  of  the  fire,  together  with  the  friction  of  the 
rubbing,  soon  caused  a  free  circulation  of  the  blood, 
which  had  but  barely  moved  through  her  arteries 
and  veins  for  years.  The  color  came  slowly  to  her 
face,  her  breathing  became  stronger,  she  was  re- 
ceiving back  the  life  which  had  been  on  the  point 
of  leaving  her  body.  Once  more  the  eyes  opened, 
and  she  spoke,  but  in  a  stronger  voice: 


A.  D.  2000  345 

"Who  are  you?     Where  is  my  father?" 

"Marie,  dear  girl,"  cried  Mollie,  bending  over 
her,  while  tears  of  joy  fell  from  her  eyes,  "we  are 
your  friends,  your  dearest  friends.  You  are  ill 
now;  do  not  speak  or  ask  questions.  All  will  be 
made  known  to  you  soon." 

Dressing  her  in  warm  clothing  taken  from  their 
own  bodies,  they  bore  her  to  the  litter  which  the 
doctor  had  ordered  brought  to  the  door  of  the  cav- 
ern. 

An  hour  later  the  whole  party  was  en  route  to  Non- 
iva.  The  litter  was  strung  between  two  mules, 
with  a  man  on  each  side  to  steady  it,  while  Mollie 
and  Marie  followed,  mounted  on  their  mules.  The 
doctor  led  the  way  down  the  creek,  across  the 
country  to  the  town.  Mollie  had  the  little  gold  case 
which  had  been  found  among  the  bandages,  Marie 
the  golden  flowers,  and  the  doctor  carried  the  iron 
box  in  front  of  him  on  the  saddle. 

It  was  2  dial  the  next  day  when  the  party  reached 
Noniva,  as  they  had  been  compelled  to  travel  very 
slowly.  A  fear  that  the  lipthalener  had  departed 
caused  Mollie  much  uneasiness,  for  they  should  have 
been  back  at  20  dial.  But,  no;  as  they  entered  the 
town,  they  saw  the  San  Francisco's  lights  streaming 
over  the  waters.  Captain  Gordon  had  not  found  it  in 
his  heart  to  leave  until  the  girls  had  joined  the  ves- 
sel. 

Two  days  later,  bidding  a  kind  farewell  to  Cap- 
tain   Gordon  and  Dr.   Town,  the    girls,   with    their 


346  A.    D.    2000 

charge,  and  the  things  brought  from  the  cavern,  left 
the  deck  of  the  cruiser  in  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco. 
Landing  at  Mission  street  dock,  a  drag  was  taken,  and 
the  home  of  Mollie's  aunt  Lora  soon  reached. 

The  weeks  followed,  and  by  careful  nursing  from 
her  two  faithful  attendants,  Marie  Colchis  regained 
her  health,  strength  and  beauty. 

The  letter  in  the  golden  case  had-been  read  by  all 
the  girls,  and  long  and  earnest  were  the  conversa- 
tions which  had  followed.  Marie  learned  of  the 
resurrection  of  her  lover,  and  of  his  entrance  into 
the  family  of  the  President;  she  became  fully  in- 
formed concerning  the  period  of  time  it  was  in  the 
world's  history,  and  all  the  details  attending  her  own 
lifeless  sleep  and  miraculous  return  to  the  world  of 
the  living.  It  seemed  but  a  day  since  she  was  with 
her  father  in  the  cavern  on  Guadalupe  Island;  it 
was  but  a  moment  that  her  thoughts  had  been  away 
from  her  lover. 

With  all  the  fire  and  passion  of  her  former  life 
not  decreased,  but  increased,  by  long  years  of 
patient  waiting,  she  longed  for  the  time  when  she 
could  meet  him,  could  see  him,  and  hear  his  loved 
voice.  She  had  been  told  of  his  apparent  lack  of 
interest,  his  seemingly  moody  ways,  and  his  care- 
worn and  sad  expression  of  countenance.  She  felt 
the  cause;  she  knew  it:  he  still  loved  his  little 
girl-wife  of  Duke's  Lane. 

And  she?     Ah,  God!    she  worshiped  him! 


CHAPTER  XX. 

It  was  the  ioth  of  January  when  Cobb  and  Hugh 
returned  from  their  visit  to  New  England  and 
reached  the  city  of  Washington. 

Hugh  was  not  at  all  pleased  to  find  Marie  gone; 
as  for  Cobb,  it  mattered  not  whether  Mollie  was 
there  or  not.  To  be  sure,  he  admired  the  girl; 
loved  her,  but  as  a  brother.  All  the  passion  which 
he  had  first  thought  to  be  in  his  heart  for  his 
friend's  sister  had  vanished  into  a  simple  brotherly 
regard. 

"Hello!"  cried  a  familiar  voice  as  Hugh  came 
from  the  executive  mansion  that  evening. 

"Hello,  Lester!  "  exclaimed  Hugh,  extending  his 
hand.      "Glad  to  see  you  back,   old  man." 

"I  can't  say  that  I'm  glad  to  get  back.  The  girls 
are  gone,  father  says,"  returned  Hugh,  in  a  woe- 
begone tone  of  voice. 

"Yes,"  laconically. 

'Given  us  the  slip,  eh?' 

"Looks  very  much  that  way." 

"Did  she  leave  any  word  for  you?" 

"Yes;  a  short  letter.  Gone  to  visit  her  aunt  in 
San  Francisco,  or  some  other  seaport,  I  believe," 
answered  Lester,  dubiously. 

"Father  says  she  went  in  a  great  hurry;  don't  know 
347 


348  A.    D.    2000 

the  cause   of  her  sudden   departure.     Looks  funny, 
doesn't  it?"  inquiringly. 

"Very,"  knowingly. 

"Bad,  eh?"  with  a  scowl. 

"Horrible!  " 

"Well,  you  hear  me,  young  man;  when  your 
sister  walks  off  on  an  unknown  journey  and  to  be 
gone  an  unknown  time,  she  generally  comes  back 
and  finds  me  on  an  equally  unknown  voyage,  and  hav- 
ing about  as  much  idea  when  that  voyage  will  end 
as  a  jackass  knows  about  Sunday;  "  and  he  thrust  his 
hands  savagely  into  his  coat-tail  pockets,  and 
assumed  the  air  of  a  man  perfectly  indifferent  as 
to  what  the  world  liked  or  disliked. 

"And  when  your  sister  forgets  that  she  has  an 
affianced  husband  dodging  about  your  father's  back 
door  every  night  to  catch  but  a  moment's  happi- 
ness in  her  society,  why — she'll  come  back  and  find 
me  off  on  a  pleasure  trip,  somewhere,"  and  poor 
Lester  faced  the  other,  and  mingled  his  disgust  at 
the  state  of  affairs  with  that  of  his  friend. 

"Let  us  clear  out,  and  not  come  back  until  they 
have  experienced  the  same  disappointment  as  we 
do  now — that  is,  if  our  absence  will  affect  them 
that  way,"  with  a  dubious  shake  of  his  head. 

"I'll  do  it,  Hugh!  I'll  go  to-morrow!"  cried 
Lester,  with  an  injured  expression  on  his  face. 

"Then,  it's  agreed.  We'll  get  Cobb  and  take 
the  Orion  and  skip  to — well,  anywhere,  so  we 
don't  get    back    here    under    two    months."     Hugh 


a.  d.  2000  349 

whistled  an  air  of  satisfaction  at  the  thought  of 
the  misery  he  was  going  to  bring  to  the  heart  of 
Marie  Hathaway. 

That  evening  Cobb  was  informed  of  Hugh's  in- 
tention of  starting  the  next  day  in  the  Orion,  and 
making  a  tour  of  the  United  States. 

"Ah,  Hugh;  why  say  the  United  States?  say  the 
world!  Let  us  go  far,  far  away;  to  the  north  pole, 
for  instance,"  and  Cobb  looked  his  friend  in  the 
face,  sadly,  but  yet  with  an  anxious  hope  that  his 
proposition  would  be  accepted.  "Yes,  to  the  north 
pole,"  he  continued.  "No  living  man  has  been 
there,  even  in  this  great  age  of  progress,  so  you 
have  informed  me." 

"It  is  impossible,  Junius.  We  cannot  reach  it," 
returned  Hugh. 

"It  is  funny!  I  have  seen  your  aerial  ships, 
large  and  stanch;  why  can't  you  go  in  one  of  them?" 

"Yes,  our  aerial  ships  are  large  and  stanch; 
but  it  would  be  foolhardy  to  attempt  to  reach 
the  pole  in  one  of  them.  We,  of  course,  depend  on 
their  lightness  to  overcome  gravitation;  now,  the 
lightest  gas  we  can  get  is  hydrogen,  and  this  we  use. 
With  our  vessels  filled  with  this  gas,  we  have  no 
trouble  in  making  from  twenty  to  fifty,  and  even  a 
hundred  miles  per  hour,  according  to  the  wind.  But 
here  comes  in  the  greatest  factor  in  aerial  naviga- 
tion: how  to  make  up  the  gas  discharged  in  chang- 
ing altitudes  and  lost  by  exudation  through  the 
skin  of    the  balloon.      In    nearly    every  great    city 


35°  A.     D.    2000 

large  quantities  of  hydrogen  are  kept  in  store  for 
filling  the  balloons  of  such  vessels  as  may  arrive 
and  require  replenishment.  So.  long  as  a  vessel  is 
kept  within  a  day's  journey  of  one  of  these  cities, 
it  is  easy  to  keep  sufficient  gas  in  the  balloon,  and 
thus  to  travel  from  point  to  point;  but  as  there  are 
no  hydrogen  works  north  of  latitude  fifty-four  de- 
grees fifteen  minutes,  and  as  the  distance  from 
there  to  the  pole  is  over  2,200  miles,  and  the  same 
distance  back  again,  and  as,  again,  the  speed  of 
an  aerial  ship  depends  upon  the  direction  of  the 
wind,  and  its  velocity — the  maximum  speed  in  a 
perfectly  tranquil  atmosphere  being  only  forty- 
five  miles  per  hour — it  will  easily  be  seen  that 
a  period  of  one  hundred  hours,  and  perhaps 
very  many  more,  would  elapse  ere  the  ship  could 
return  to  the  starting  point.  As  a  fact,  the  loss  of 
hydrogen  will  be  so  great  that,  unless  replenished, 
the  vessel  will  lose  its  carrying  power  ere  thirty 
hours  have  passed.  Thus  you  see,  Junius,  it  is 
impossible  to  use  the  aerial  ship  to  reach  the  pole." 

"But  can  you  not  carry  material  to  keep  your  sup- 
ply of  hydrogen  up  to  the  amount  required?"  asked 
Cobb,  eagerly. 

"No.  The  amount  would  be  too  great  to  manu- 
facture in  the  time  which  would  be  at  one's  com- 
mand; besides,  the  apparatus  would  be  too  heavy  for 
the  balloon  to  carry." 

"Then,  I  understand  that,  if  you  could  manufacture 
this  gas  in  sufficient  quantities  on  the  ship,  and  by 


A.     D.    2000  351 

light  apparatus,  you  could  go  anywhere?"  Cobb 
spoke  the  words  slowly,  as  if  lost  in  some  deep 
thought. 

"Certainly,"  replied  Hugh.  "But  that  is  a  dis- 
covery which  I  doubt  much  will  ever  be  accom- 
plished! " 

"Perhaps. " 

"Perhaps?" 

"Yes,  I  said  perhaps,"  returned  Cobb,  with  a 
complaisant  smile.  Then,  inquiringly:  "Will  you 
show  me  your  finest  aerial  ship  to-morrow?" 

'Of  course  you  will  see  it  if  we  start  to-morrow, 
as  we  have  agreed. " 

"But  do  not  agree  to  start  to-morrow.  Show 
me  your  ship,  as  I  have  not  seen  them  closely,  and 
I  will  be  ready  to  start  soon  after." 

"Well,  if  you  wish  it,  Junius,  I  will  do  so;  but 
I  do  not  understand  the  reason  for  your  request. " 

"You  will  see,"  quietly  returned  Cobb. 

It  was  about  10  dial  the  next  day  when  Cobb 
accompanied  Hugh  to  the  dock  house  of  the  large 
government  aerial  ship  Orion.  The  vessel  stood 
in  the  navy  yard  at  Washington,  covered  by  an 
immense  canvas  shed.  Her  gas  bags  were  unin- 
flated,  and  lay  in  great  folds  along  the  central 
support. 

The  vessel  was  377  feet  long,  and  was  built  in 
a  very  peculiar  manner.  The  balloon  part  of  the 
vessel  was  in  the  form  of  a  huge  cigar,  through  the 
center  of  which  extended  a  rod   380  feet  long,   with 


352  A.     D.    2000 

trusses  to  keep  it  rigid.  The  cones  of  the  balloon 
were  covered  with  aluminum  shields,  which  extended 
toward  the  center  to  a  distance  of  sixty  feet.  Light 
rods  joined  these  two  shields  to  each  other,  thereby 
bracing  the  whole  vessel.  Depending  from  the 
central  rod,  by  stiff  hangings,  and  just  under  the 
gas  envelope,  was  the  car,  built  of  bamboo,  canvas, 
and  aluminum  rods.  The  car  was  ioo  feet  in  length 
and  15  wide,  and  had  an  area  of  1,500  square  feet; 
the  flooring  was  of  the  lightest  material  con- 
sistent with  safety.  The  rear  point  of  the  cone  car- 
ried a  wind  propeller  of  forty-six  feet  in  diameter; 
the  forward  cone  had  four  rudders  working  from  the 
point  of  the  cone  back  to  a  distance  of  thirty  feet, 
and  set  in  pairs — one  pair  vertical,  and  the  other 
horizontal.  There  was  a  small  lipthalene  engine  in 
the  center  of  the  ship  coupled  to  the  propeller. 
Within  the  car  were  fourteen  state-rooms,  parlor,  in- 
strument-room, kitchen,  dining-room,  and  cabin, 
besides  the  pilot's  room  in  front,  and  the  engine- 
room  in  the  center.  The  balloon,  when  inflated, 
was  377  feet  from  point  to  point  of  the  cones,  and 
100  feet  in  diameter.  Its  displacement  of  air  was 
2,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  153,000  pounds,  under  the 
pressure  of  one  atmosphere.  Inflated  with  hydrogen, 
it  had  a  carrying  capacity  of  seventy  tons.  The 
silk  bag  was  covered  with  a  peculiar  coating, 
which  made  it  almost  impervious  to  change  of 
texture,  yet  soft  and  pliable.  The  weight  of  the 
whole  ship    was    fifty-two    tons,    the    engines    and 


a.   D.  2000  353 

machinery  three  tons  more;  making  the  whole 
weight,  without  passengers  or  freight,  fifty-five 
tons.  Five  tons  was  the  usual  weight  carried,  as 
the  gas  bag  was  only  about  six-sevenths  full  at 
rising,  in  order  to  allow  for  the  expansion  of  the 
gas  as  the  elevation  increased.  The  cabin  was 
aft,  and  the  state-rooms  near  the  center;  all  were 
furnished  handsomely,  and  with  everything  requi- 
site for  one's  comfort,  but  of  the  lightest  ma- 
terial. 

Through  the  center  of  the  great  gas  bag  a  silk  shaft 
led  to  a  platform  on  the  very  top  of  the  balloon. 
This  was  the  lookout's  station,  and  communica- 
tion with  the  pilot  was  by  telephone.  The  vessel  was 
lighted  and  heated  by  electricity,  supplied  from 
storage  batteries  of  great  power,  though  small  in 
volume.  The  cooking  was  by  electricity  likewise, 
and  owing  to  the  inflammability  of  the  hydrogen 
gas,   fire  was  not  permitted  aboard  the  ship. 

Cobb  surveyed  the  vessel  very  carefully,  examining 
every  part,  and  looking  at  every  detail  of  the  mech- 
anism of  the  machinery.  The  gas  bag  was  critic- 
ally inspected,  and  then  the  area  of  the  deck 
measured.  With  a  smiling,  satisfied  air,  Cobb 
turned  to  Hugh,  and  said:  "It  rests  with  you, 
Hugh,  whether  this  vessel  take  us  to  the  north  pole 
or  simply  makes  a  tour  of  the  States." 

"You  astonish  me!  "  exclaimed  Hugh.  "You  cer- 
tainly will  not  ask  me  to  make  an  attempt  which 
others  have  declared  impossible?" 

A.   D.  2COO  2 J 


354  k-   »•  2°.oo 

"I  mean  to  ask  you  to  do  it,"  calmly  replied  the 
other. 

"But  I  certainly  will  not  grant  your  request," 
with  a  decided  movement  of  the  head; 

"But  you  will  not  only  grant  my  request,  but  you 
will,  with  me,  reach  the  pole  before  a  week  has 
passed."  There  was  a  quiet,  cool  assurance  in  his 
words  that  gave  Hugh  a  feeling  that  the  man  was 
not  talking  at  random,  but  had  some  grand  scheme 
in  view,  which,  to  him,  gave  promise  of  success. 
Feeling  this  to  be  the  case,  he  framed  his  next 
words  accordingly:  "Tell  me  what  you  mean?  How 
is  this  to  be  accomplished?     Explain  yourself." 

Without  replying  to  the  questions,  Cobb  simply 
asked:  "Will  you  get  the  authority  for  a  few  simple 
changes  in  the  construction  of  this  vessel?  Can 
you  do  this?" 

"Yes;  I  think  I  can;  that  is,  if  it  is  to  improve 
the  ship." 

"Then,  get  that  permission,  and  have  the  changes 
made,  a  list  of  which  I  will  give  you  this  evening; 
they  can  be  finished  by  day  after  to-morrow.  Also, 
have  10,000  pounds  of  meteorite  and  200  gallons 
of  nitric  acid  put  aboard  the  vessel,  and  2,500 
pounds  of  meteorite  and  fifty  gallons  of  acid  near 
at  hand.  Increase  your  supply  of  lipthalite 
sufficiently  to  run  the  engines  twenty-five  days." 

"But  will  you  not  be  adding  too  much  weight  for 
buoyancy?"  suggested  Hugh. 

"How  much  will   the  hydrogen  which  is  used  to 


A.   D.    2000  355 

inflate    that    bag    weigh?"     asked    Cobb,    pointing 
to  the  folded  envelope. 

"Well,"  replied  Hugh,  thinking  a  moment,  "the 
capacity  is  two  million  cub;c  feet,  and  a  cubic 
foot  of  air  weighs  nearly  eight  hundredths  of  a 
pound;  that  would  give  about  160,000  pounds. 
Assuming  the  specific  gravity  of  air  at  one,  that  of 
hydrogen  would  be  sixty-nine  thousandths,  and  the 
weight  about  11,000  pounds." 

"Correct,"  said  Cobb,  who  had  made  a  mental 
calculation  of  the  weight.  "Now  I  ask  you  to  put  on 
the  vessel  12,000  pounds  of  meteorite  and  acid. 
Very  well;  if  your  ship  can  take  care  of  6,000  of 
these  pounds,  I  will  reduce  the  weight  of  the  gas 
in  the  bag  to  5,000  pounds,  thus  providing  for  the 
other  6,000  pounds." 

"But  you  cannot  do  it!"  cried  Hugh.  "Hydrogen 
is  the  lightest  gas  known;  you  cannot  reduce 
its  weight." 

"I  can."  Cobb  looked  calmly  into  the  face  of  his 
friend. 

"You,  perhaps,  think  you  can,"  insinuated  Hugh. 

"I  know  I    can,"  firmly  replied  the    other. 

"Then  the  changes  shall  be  made." 

"And  day  after  to-morrow,  at  12  dial,  we  sail  for 
the  north  pole?"  asked  Cobb.      "Is  it  to  be  so?" 

"As  you  wish,  Junius." 

Their  plans  being  settled,  they  returned  to 
the  executive  mansion,  where  Hugh  immediately 
sought    his    father,  and  told   him  of  his  interview 


356  A.    D.    2000 

with  Cobb,  and  what  the  latter  had  promised 
to  do.  He  then  asked  for  the  order  permitting  the 
changes  in  the  Orion. 

Without  evincing  any  surprise,  the  President 
wrote  the  order,   and  gave   it  to  him,   adding: 

"I  think  I  know  where  he  will  get  this  new  gas. 
I  saw  it  demonstrated  in  the  Secretary's  office  last 
September. " 

"And  I  am  to  go  with  him,  you  understand?" 
anxiously  asked  Hugh. 

"Well,  as  to  that,  if  he  has  found  a  method  of 
manufacturing  the  gas  as  it  is  needed,  I  see  not 
the  slightest  objection,  for  you  know  that  has  been 
the  only  difficulty,  heretofore,  in  making  the  voyage. 
Yes,  my  son,  go,  and  let  another  laurel  be  added  to 
the  family  name." 

When  Cobb  read  the  "Daily  American"  the  next 
morning  he  was  surprised  to  come  across  a  notice 
to  the  world  of  his  proposed  voyage.  He  had  said 
nothing  to  anyone,  and  could  only  account  for  the 
item  by  reasoning  that  the  order  to  the  Secretary, 
and  which  Hugh  had  shown  him,  had  read: 

"  *  *  *  These  changes  must  be  completed  by 
the  1 2th  irfstant,  at  12  dial,  as  Colonel  Cobb  and 
Captains  Craft  and  Hathaway  will  start  for  the  north 
pole  at  that  hour.     *     *     *  " 

The  paper  gave  the  news,  and  commented  upon 
the  proposed  undertaking  as  follows: 

'Washington,  10,  18  d. — Orders  have  been  re- 
ceived   at    the  War  Department  to  have  the  aerial 


A.    D.  2000  357 

ship  Orion  put  into  shape  for  a  long  and  extended 
voyage.  It  is  currently  reported  at  the  Capitol  that 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Junius  Cobb,  Second  Cavalry, 
the  man  of  '87,  as  he  has  become  known,  intends  to 
make  the  attempt  of  reaching  the  pole  in  an  air- 
ship. His  companions  will  be  Captains  Craft  and 
Hathaway,  of  the  army;  the  former  officer  a  son  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States.  This  will  be 
the  seventh  trial  to  reach  the  pole  since  the  inven- 
tion of  the  air-ship.  The  first  four  who  competed  for 
the  honor  returned  in  disgrace,  their  vessels  failing 
to  reach  the  sixty-ninth  parallel  of  north  latitude 
ere  they  were  compelled  to  turn  back  on  account 
of  loss  of  gas.  The  other  two  adventurers,  Pope,  in 
the  Star,  in  1985,  and  Capron,  in  the  Highflyer,  in 
1993,  have  never  been  heard  from.  The  problem  is 
one  utterly  without  solution;  the  air-ship  is  not 
destined  to  ever  reach  the  pole. 

"The  foolhardy  attempt  now  about  to  be  made 
will  not  only  end  in  disaster  to  the  gentlemen  en- 
gaged in  it,  but  will  bring  sorrow  to  the  nation  by 
the  loss  to  the  President  of  his  only  son." 

Rather  discouraging,  that,"  said  Cobb  to  him- 
self, as  he  laid  the  paper  aside.  "Strange  how 
much  these  newspaper  men  know!  They  haven't 
changed  a  particle  since  the  days  of  old." 

The  work  progressed  upon  the  Orion,  and  the  sound 
of  hammers  was  heard  all  the  day.  A  long  silken 
pipe  had   been    connected   to    the  gas  bag,  and    ter- 


358  A.    D.    2O0O 

minated  near  a  small,  bell-shaped  aluminum  receiv- 
er. The  poles  of  the  storage  batteries  had  been 
joined  to  a  dozen  pairs  of  carbon  points  within  this 
receiver,  and  a  series  of  long  pipes  projected  from 
its  base.  Two  huge  safety-valves  had  been  placed 
in  the  top  of  the  great  gas  bag,  and  additional 
escape  provided.  It  was  9  dial  of  the  12th  of  Janu- 
ary, and  great  crowds  of  people  filled  the  streets,  cov- 
ered the  house-tops,  and  jammed  themselves  into 
every  available  place  from  which  a  view  could  be  had 
of  the  departure  of  the  Orion.  At  the  dock  of  the 
vessel  the  President,  Secretaries,  foreign  ministers, 
and  other  notables  were  assembled  to  witness  the 
departure  of  the  man  who  had  promised  to  reach 
the  pole  and  return. 

The  huge  silken  bag  still  lay  inert  and  motionless 
against  the  aluminum  support,  no  attempt  having 
been  made  to  fill  it.  The  baggage  had  been  placed 
on  board;  the  stores,  the  meteorite,  and  nitric  acid 
were  carefully  in  place,  and  the  crew,  consisting 
of  two  pilots,  a  cook,  cabin  boy,  and  two  engineers, 
were  standing  near  the  vessel. 

A  moment  later  Junius  Cobb  appeared,  and  by 
his  side  walked  Craft  and  Hathaway.  Their  appear- 
ance was  greeted  by  cheer  upon  cheer  from  the  vast 
concouise  of  people.  Slowly  approaching  the  big 
ship,  they  mounted  the  ladders  to  the  side,  and  stood 
upon  the  deck  of  the  Orion.  Throwing  off  his 
coat,  Cobb  at  once  commenced  his  work.  The 
meteorite  was  in  sticks  four  feet  long  and  an  inch 


a.  e>.    2©©o  359 

in  diameter,  and  much  resembled  the  sticks  of 
lipthalite  used  on  the  Tracer.  Taking  a  glass 
cylinder  five  feet  in  length  by  one  in  diameter,  he 
filled  it  nearly  full  of  nitric  acid,  and  then  placed 
a  bunch  of  the  meteorite  rods  in  the  liquid. 
Waiting  but  a  moment,  he  withdrew  them,  and 
then  put  one  into  each  of  the  ten  pipes  of  the 
receiver,  placed  springs  against  their  ends,  and 
closed  the  caps.  Having  thus  charged  the  receiver, 
he  stepped  back,  and  touched  a  push-button,  and 
turned  on  the  current  to  the  carbons  inside. 

Slowly  at  first,  then  faster,  rose  fold  upon  fold 
of  the  gas  bag  of  the  Orion;  the  gas  was  generating. 
The  crowd  cheered.  For  two  hours  the  process  was 
continued,  until  the  Orion  just  balanced  at  her  moor- 
ings; then  and  only  then,  Cobb  ceased  to  fill  the 
receiver.  The  2,500  pounds  of  meteorite  and  fifty 
gallons  of  nitric  acid,  which  had  been  brought  as 
an  extra  supply,  had  been  nearly  all  consumed,  and 
over  1,500,000  cubic  feet  of  meteorlene*  filled  the 
great  gas  bag  to  within  one-seventh  of  its  capac- 
ity. 

Stepping  down  the  ladders,  Cobb  and  his  two  com- 
panions bade  good-bye  to  their  friends.  The  crew 
went  aboard,  and  then  the  three  officers  followed. 
At  11:57  the  receiver  pipes  were  again  charged,  and 
the  electric  current  turned  on;  the  great  ship  tugged 
hard  at  her  cables,  and  swayed  in  the  air. 

"Cast  off!  "  thundered  the  words  from  Cobb,  and  the 
hawsers  whirled  through  the  guards,  and  came  turn- 


360  A.    L>.     2000 

bling  to  the  ground.     The    vessel  rose  swiftly  and 
gracefully  in  the  air;   the  dial  marked  12. 

High  up  in  the  cold  winter  air,  and  swiftly,  the 
noble  ship  rose;  and  soon  the  tooting  of  whistles 
and  the  cheers  of  the  people  became  but  faint  mur- 
murings  in  the  depths  below. 

"Admiral,"  reported  Hugh,  making  a  grave  salute, 
and  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eye,  "the  barometer  shows 
8,000  feet. " 

The  fact  was  apparent  that  a  great  elevation  had 
already  been  attained,  for  the  temperature  had  fallen 
and  a  decided  cold  feeling  was  experienced  by 
all. 

-  "That  is  sufficient,  Commodore,"  returning  the 
other's  salute,  and  smiling  at  his  new  title.  "Be 
kind  enough  to  have  the  course  laid  northeast  by 
east,  and  discharge  gas  to  keep  at  about  this  alti- 
tude," and  Cobb  passed  into  his  state-room,  and 
donned  a  heavy  overcoat. 

As  the  engines  commenced  their  work  the  great 
propeller  turned  rapidly  on  its  axis,  and  the  Orion, 
describing  a  great  circle,  took  a  course  which  would 
soon  bring  her  over  Newfoundland. 

Rapidly  they  passed  over  the  country;  the  towns 
and  cities,  the  rivers  and  lakes,  lay  far  below  them, 
and  the  scene  was  like  some  gigantic  panorama. 

Emerging  from  the  cabin,  Cobb  walked  to  the 
port  bows,  where  Hugh  and  Lester  were  leaning  on 
the  rail,  and  commenting  on  the  grand  scenery  over 
which  they  were  being  swiftly  whirled.      An  expres- 


A.    D.     2000  361 

sion  of  satisfaction  overspread  his  face,  and  a  fire  of 
ambition  sparkled  in  his  eye. 

"Would  that  I  were  never  more  compelled  to  de- 
scend to  earth!  "  he  cried.  "Would  that  I  could 
ever  remain  thus  far  away  from  civilization  and  so- 
ciety! "  and  a  sad,  mournful  expression  succeeded 
the  former  brightness  of  his  countenance. 

"Say  not  so,  dear  Junius,"  and  Hugh  took  the 
other's  hand  in  his.  "I  am  sure  there  is  a  bright 
future  in  store  for  you.     I  feel  it;  I  know  it!" 

"I  am  not  a  part  of  those  below,"  and  he  jerked 
his  thumb  toward  the  earth  dimly  outlined  far  below 
them.  "I  am  not  a  part  of  that  people.  No  solitary 
tie,  save  that  of  new-found  friendship,  binds  me  to 
them,  or  them  to  me,  Hugh,"  and  he  pressed  the 
hand  that  held  his.  "If  I  but  had  the  love  of  her 
long  since  dead,  long  since  gone  to  her  heavenly 
home,  then  all  would  be  changed.  I  would  live 
again,  would  laugh  and  jest,  and  be  another  man. 
Alas,  it  is  not  to  be,"  and  tears  filled  his  eyes,  an  1 
became  crystals  of  ice  in  the  freezing  temperature 
that  pervaded  the  air  about  them. 

"Brace  up,  my  dear  Colonel!  "  interposed  Lester. 
"Accept  the  world  as  you  find  it!  The  sun  of  a 
week  hence  may  shine  on  a  people  shouting  your 
praise  to  the  end  of  the  earth." 

"What  care  I  for  praise!  "  savagely  returned  the 
man,  as  he  turned  upon  the  other;  then  in  a  kinder 
tone,  he  said,  "Forgive  me,  Lester;  I  know  your 
heart  is  in  the  right  place."     Twice  he  crossed  the 


3t>2  A.    V.    2000 

deck  in  moody  silence.  "Enough,"  he  cried,  at 
length,  as  he  stopped  in  front  of  them.  "Let  fate 
work  its  decree."  Then  turning  once  more  from 
his  friends,  his  emotion  gave  utterance  to  the  feel- 
ings of  his  heart:  "I  abide  the  time  of  death,  and 
a  return  to  thee,  O  Marie,  my  darling,  my  girl 
wife! "  Once  more  he  faced  them,  and  in  harsh 
tones  exclaimed:  "It  is  over!  Let  us  to  business 
now;  we  are  bound  for  the  pole!  For  your  sakes  I 
hope  we  return." 

It  was  1,500  miles  to  the  banks  of  Newfoundland, 
and  nearly  5  dial  the  next  day,  when  the  Orion  was 
poised  a  thousand  feet  above  the  Atlantic.  Below, 
plowing  her  way  through  the  water,  was  one  of  the 
latest  transatlantic  passenger  lipthaleners.  Eight 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  length  by  a  beam  of  only 
forty-six  feet,  the  huge  spindle  rushed  through  the 
water  with  a  speed  of  over  forty  miles  an  hour. 
Sounding  the  great  whistle  of  the  Orion,  Cobb  threw 
over  a  small  parachute,  to  which  was  attached  a 
bundle  of  papers  of  the  12th  inst.  The  lipthalener 
sounded  her  whistle  in  salutation,  ceased  her  course, 
and  sent  a  launch  to  pick  up  the  papers.  Again 
sounding  the  whistle  as  a  parting  salute,  Cobb  or- 
dered gas,  and  the  Orion  rose,  and  was  soon  hidden 
in  the  clouds.     The  course  was  then  laid  due  east. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

It  was  20  dial. 

High  up  in  the  air  and  swiftly  sped  the  Orion. 

At  the  bow  rail  stood  Junius  Cobb  and  Hugh. 
Each  was  silent,  his  thoughts  far  away;  the  one  in  the 
present,  and  the  other  in  a  former,  period  of  the 
world's  time.  How  their  thoughts  contrasted! 
Hugh,  bright  in  his  hopes  for  the  future,  meditated 
on  the  renown  and  glory  that  would  attach  to  them 
all  should  their  great  undertaking  prove  successful. 
And  then,  was  she  not  now  informed  of  his  mission? 
and  was  she  not  watching  and  praying  for  his  safe 
return? 

Ah!   was  he  not  to  be  envied? 

But  the  other — Junius — how  ran  his  thoughts? 
Back,  back  years  before,  he  was  wandering,  among 
old  scenes  and  old  friends  so  dear  to  his  heart.  His 
head  bowed  upon  his  arm,  he  gave  no  heed  to  his 
friend's  presence. 

On,  on  they  sped;  the  whir  of  the  propeller  alone 
breaking  the  awful  silence  that  surrounded  them. 
The  night  advanced;  the  darkness  came  upon  them. 

"Are  you  not  too  cold,  Junius?"  asked  Hugh, 
after  watching  for  a  moment  his  companion,  and 
noticing  a  slight  tremor  of  his  form. 

The  words,  though  lowly  spoken,  fell  upon  the  ear 
of  the  other  as  if    a  voice  from  the  unknown  world 

363 


364  A.    D.    2000 

had  shouted  out  his  doom ;  so  still  was  all  about 
them  that  a  whisper  even  seemed  to  vibrate  back 
until  it  had  swelled  into  a  harsh,  discordant  cry. 

With  a  quick,  shaking  movement,  Cobb  raised 
his  head,  and  turned  toward  the  speaker:  "What  is 
it,  Hugh?  you  spoke  to  me,   did  you  not?" 

"Yes;  I  asked  if  you  were  not  cold.  For  ten  min- 
utes have  we  stood  here  in  this  freezing  tempera- 
ture, each  busy  with  his  own  thoughts." 

"Yes;  I  am  cold,"  came  the  reply.  "And,  cold  as 
my  body  may  be,  my  dear  friend,  my  heart  is  colder. 
I  would  that  I  could  shake  off  these  depressing  feel- 
ings, but  my  mind  will  wander.  Even  now  I  thought 
how  easily,  how  swiftly,  and  painlessly  man  could 
from  this  air-ship  terminate  a  distasteful  and  annoy- 
ing existence.  Yes,"  looking  into  the  other's  eyes, 
"yes,  one  has  but  to  throw  himself  over  this  rail,  and 
life  passes  from  him  without  a  pang." 

"And  do  you  call  that  a  painless  death,  being 
crushed  upon  the  earth  below  into  a  shapeless 
mass?"  asked  Hugh,  with  a  shudder,  glancing  over 
the  rail. 

"Yes,  Hugh.  Death  from  falling  from  a  great 
height  is  perfectly  painless.  Let  me  explain  it," 
warming  to  the  subject,  and  losing  some  of  his  mel- 
ancholy in  the  prospective  discussion  of  a  scientific 
theme.  "Let  me  tell  you  why  such  is  the  case.  We 
are  now  10,000  feet  above  the  ocean,  are  we  not?" 

"So  I  read  the  barometer,  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
ago,"  answered  Hugh. 


a.  r».  2000  365 

"Well,  no  matter;  let  us  assume  that  we  are  at 
that  elevation.  Now,  what  would  be  our  velocity 
falling  from  this  point  upon  reaching  the  surface  of 
the  earth  below?" 

"Really,  I  could  not  answer  that  question  with- 
out working  it  out,"  the  other  returned. 

"Well,  it  would  be  just  802  feet  per  second,"  said 
Cobb.  "And  that  velocity  at  500,  1,000  and  5,000 
feet  below  us  would  be  179,  253,  and  567  feet,  re- 
spectively, per  second.  A  human  being  falling  is, 
for  an  instant,  convulsed  by  a  terrible,  awful  feel- 
ing; not  a  feeling  of  pain,  but  rather  a  feeling  of 
apprehension.  This  fear,  this  apprehension,  is  but 
momentary,  I  say;  it  lasts  during  the  first  second 
of  the  descent  only,  or  for  a  distance  of  about  six- 
teen feet.  After  this  first  second  the  senses  become 
confused,  circulation  of  the  blood  is  retarded,  a 
feeling  of  rest,  a  sense  of  pleasure,  pervades  the 
whole  soul.  This  state  of  ecstasy,  which  it  should 
really  be  called,  increases  as  the  velocity  of  descent 
is  accelerated,  until  the  mind  can  no  longer  enjoy 
the  delightful  sensation,  but  loses  all  knowledge, 
all  thought,  all  feeling,  and  insensibility  ensues. 
This  condition  of  the  senses  is  produced  when  the 
velocity  of  the  body  has  attained  a  rate  of  400 
feet  a  second,  or  at  the  fourteenth  second  of  de- 
scent— about  2,480  feet  below  the  point  of  start- 
ing. The  cause  of  this  is,  that  the  lungs  no  longer 
perform  their  function;  they  fail  to  take  in  the  quan- 
tity of  air,  and    consequently  the  oxygen  necessary 


366  A.    D.    2000 

to  fully  renovate  the  blood.  The  velocity  being  so 
great,  the  air  is  pushed  aside  by  the  falling  body, 
and  fails  to  surround  that  portion  of  the  body  not 
directly  in  the  line  of  descent,  with  air  at  the  nor- 
mal pressure.  The  air  supply  being  thus  dimin- 
ished, the  blood  leaps  through  the  veins,  rushes  to 
the  brain,  and  the  mind  knows  no  more.  A  human 
body  of  175  pounds  weight  falling  from  this 
height — 10,000  feet — would  reach  the  earth  at  the  end 
of  the  twenty-fifth  second,  and  would  have,  at  that 
moment,  a  velocity  of  802  feet  per  second." 

"There  would  not  be  much  resemblance  to  a  human 
being  left,"  ejaculated  Hugh,  intently  interested, 
and  looking  over  the  rail  as  if  he  already  saw  the 
body  falling  toward  the  earth.  "No."  Cobb  shook 
his  head  in  a  decided  manner.  "No;  I  should  say 
hot.  The  body  would  strike  the  earth  with  a  force 
of  146,000  foot  pounds  per  second,  and  would  become 
but  a  shapeless,  pulpy  mass. "  He  ceased  speaking  a 
moment,  as  if  lost  in  thought,  then  quickly  added: 
"But  enough  of  this  subject.  Let  us  take  a  turn  on 
the  forward  deck,  and  then  retire  to  the  cabin." 

The  two  men  moved  forward,  and  crossed  to  the 
starboard  side  of  the  Orion.  Here  the  air  was  a 
trifle  warmer,  or,  rather,  the  wind  caused  by  their 
forward  movement  was  less  strong  and  piercing. 
The  great  perpendicular  rudders  of  the  vessel  were 
inclined  two  degrees  to  the  left  to  overcome  the 
northern  currents,  which  came  strong  and  cold. 

It  was  now  21  dial,  and  the    earth    below  seemed 


A.     9.    2©»«  367 

covered  by  a  black  pall.  Around  them  were  silence 
and  darkness.  No  moon  was  visible,  and  the  gloom 
below  was  only  relieved  by  the  beautiful  sky,  with 
its  thousands  of  twinkling  stars  above  them. 

Stopping  at  the  rocket  box,  just  to  the  right  of 
the  rudder  chains,  Cobb  laid  his  hand  upon  the  rail, 
and  gazed  fixedly  into  the  depths  below;  and  then, 
raising  his  eyes  toward  the  horizon,  he  pointed  his 
finger  forward,  and  exclaimed:  "Hugh,  what  are 
those  bright  lights  away  off  in  the  ocean,  and  this 
one,  almost  under  us?" 

Hugh  looked  in  the  direction  indicated,  and  also 
leaned  over  the  rail,  and  noted  a  beautiful,  brilliant 
light  almost  underneath  the  Orion.  Hesitating  a 
moment,  he  cried: 

"Why,  Junius,  those  are  the  Atlantic  stations. 
We  can  see  one — two — three  of  them.  Yes,  1  am 
sure;  and  there  is  one  behind  us,"  pointing  to  a  light 
directly  in  their  rear.  "Yes,  they  are  the  stations. 
That  one  behind  us  must  be  the  first  one,  and  this 
underneath,  the  second,  from  Newfoundland;  that 
would  agree  with  our  position,  which,  I  take  it,  is 
about  a  hundred  miles  east  of  the  land." 

"Atlantic  stations!  Do  you  mean  that  these  lights 
are  on  stationary  vessels  in  the  ocean?"  asked  Cobb, 
intently  gazing  at  the  bright  lights. 

"Yes;  those  are  ocean  stations  for  the  relief  of  dis- 
tressed vessels  and  shipwrecked  people.  You  see  the 
lights;  this  one  under  us,  and  the  one  toward  the  west, 
and  those  two  to  the  east.      Ah!    there    is   another! 


368  A.    D.    2000 

see  it?  away  down  on  the  horizon.  That  makes 
five.  By  Jove!  I  doubt  if  ever  before  five  of  these 
lights  have  been  seen  at  the  same  time  by  one  per- 
son! "  with  a  pleased  expression  on  his  face. 

Cobb  viewed  for  a  moment  the  brilliant  light,  which 
was  apparently  gently  swaying  to  right  and  left  just 
beneath  him,  and  then  his  eyes  passed  along  the  line 
made  by  the  others.  The  second  light  was  quite 
bright  also,  but  the  third  seemed  faint.  The  fourth 
light  appeared  as  a  star  lying  just  on  the  edge  of  the 
ocean.  Indeed,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  the 
Orion  lay  exactly  in  the  line  of  the  stations,  and  for 
the  further  fact  that  no  stars  were  visible  so  low 
down  toward  the  horizon,  the  light  might  not  have 
been  noticed  at  all. 

"How  far  apart  are  these  stations?"  he  asked. 

"They  are  placed  at  intervals  of  fifty  miles,"  re- 
turned the  other. 

"Then,  that  light  away  down  near  the  horizon  is 
nearly  150  miles  from  us?" 

"Yes." 

"And  our  elevation  now  is  10,000  feet,  you  say?" 

"So  I  observed  it,  as  I  told  you,  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes  ago." 

Then,  after  a  moment's  silence,  Cobb  exclaimed: 
"We  are  rising.  We  cannot  be  less  than  12,500 
feet  above  the  ocean." 

"How  do  you  make  that  out,  Junius?"  asked  Hugh. 
"I  don't  think  we  have  ascended  2,500  feet  since  my 
last  observation." 


A.     D.    2000  369 

"It  is  easily  answered,"  said  the  other.  "The 
curvature  of  the  earth  and  the  refraction  of  light 
necessitate  an  elevation  of  1,430  feet  for  one  to 
see  an  object  on  the  surface  at  a  distance  of  fifty 
miles.  To  see  this  light,  distant  150  miles,  our 
altitude  must  be  at  least  11,500  feet." 

"Yes?" 

"Yes  Let  us  go  inside,  and  see  if  I  am  not  correct, 
and  then  I  want  you  to  tell  me  about  these  stations, " 
touching  the  other  on  the  arm,  and  then  moving  aft. 

Once  in  the  cabin,  the  barometer  was  consulted, 
and  found  to  read  19. 29  inches,  or  an  elevation  of 
11,581  feet.  Cobb  again  asked  his  friend  to  enlighten 
him  concerning  this  new  invention,  the  lights  of 
which  he  had  seen  twinkling  and  scintillating  away 
toward  the  east. 

"I  cannot  tell  you  much,  Junius,  for  I  am  not  well 
posted  on  the  subject.  These  transatlantic  life- 
stations  are  set  on  a  line  extending  from  St.  John's, 
Newfoundland,  to  Land's  End,  England,  or  nearly  on 
the  fiftieth  parallel  of  north  latitude.  Perhaps  there 
may  be  something  relating  to  the  subject  among  the 
books  in  the  chart-room.  Excuse  me  but  a  moment, 
and  I  will  look. "  Saying  which,  he  arose  and  passed 
out  to  the  pilot's  house.  A  moment  later  he  re- 
turned, bearing  a  pamphlet  in  his  hand. 

"Here  we  are,  my  boy,"  he  exclaimed,   as  he  shut 
the  door  behind    him.     "Here's  quite    a   history  of 
these  stations.    I  found  it  among  the  nautical   alma- 
nacs and  charts  in  the  pilot's  room. 
A.  D.  2000.         24 


37°  A.     D.    2000 

Opening  the  first  page,  Hugh  displayed  three 
wood-cuts  of  one  of  the  transatlantic  life-stations. 
The  first  cut  showed  the  station  in  its  normal  position 
upon  the  surface  of  the  ocean;  the  second  showed 
it  partially  submerged,  during  a  storm,  and  the  third 
gave  a  cross-section  of  its  interior.  Handing  the 
book  to  Cobb,  he  said:  "You  can  read  it  yourself,  for 
everything  is  explained  therein,  I  think."  The  other 
took  the  pamphlet,  and  settling  himself  back  in  his 
chair,  read  of  this  wonderful  adjunct  to  a  safe  travel- 
ing of  the  great  Atlantic  highway  to  Europe. 

There  were,  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  from  New- 
foundland to  England,  thirty-eight  marine  life-sav- 
ing stations.  These  stations  were,  in  all  respects, 
similar;  a  full  description  of  one  answered  for  all. 
In  the  pamphlet  which  Cobb  read,  were  given  the 
details  of  Station  No.  14,  situated  in  longitude  37 
degrees  5  minutes  west,  and  latitude  49  degrees  50 
minutes  north.      He  read: 

"history  of  the  transatlantic  life-saving  service. 

"In  1923  a  joint  commission  of  Great  Britain, 
France  and  the  United  States,  met  in  the  city  of 
Washington  for  the  purpose  of  devising  some  means 
toward  making  travel  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
more  safe  and  sure  than  was  possible  under  the  cir- 
cumstances at  the  time.  Vessels  of  the  finest  de- 
scription and  of  great  tonnage  were  traversing  a 
well-known  route  continuously.  Accidents  had  oc- 
curred, which  it  seemed  could    not  have    been  pre- 


A.    P.     2000  371 

vented,  whereby  a  great  number  of  lives  had  been 
sacrificed  and  vast  property  lost. 

"Great  factors  in  the  calling  together  of  this  com- 
mission were  a  series  of  terrible  accidents  in  the 
years  1919,   1920,  and  in  the  fall  of  1922. 

"On  the  15th  of  July,  1919,  at  23  dial,  or  as  they 
then  reckoned  time,  n  o'clock  p.  m.,  the  City  of 
New  York  was  struck  by  lightning,  in  latitude  49 
degrees  10  minutes,  and  longitude  31  degrees  14 
minutes.  Despite  the  endeavors  of  a  well -trained 
crew  and  every  facility  for  extinguishing  fire,  the 
vessel  burned  and  sunk;  2, 167  souls  who  were  aboard 
of  her  at  the  time  took  to  the  boats.  Of  this  number 
914  only  were  rescued,  or  ever  heard  of.  Those  who 
were  rescued  had  sailed  over  450  miles  before  being 
picked  up.  The  supposition  is  that  the  distance 
from  land  was  too  great  for  them  to  overcome  with 
the  limited  amount  of  water  and  food  aboard  the 
boats,  and  had  land,  or  some  station,  been  within 
reasonable  distance  from  the  scene  of  the  accident, 
all  would  have  been  saved. 

"A  most  peculiar  case  was  that  of  the  City  of  Prov- 
idence in  1920.  This  vessel  was  one  of  the  finest  of 
the  American  transatlantic  passenger  steamers, 
600  feet  in  length,  with  a  tonnage  of  16,000.  She 
left  the  Mersey  on  October  7  of  that  year,  with 
3,465  souls  on  board.  On  the  morning  of  the 
9th,  at  4:  12  dial,  a  terrible  accident  occurred;  two  of 
the  thirty-six  boilers  burst,  the  concussion  causing 
nine  more  to  explode.       The  vessel   was  torn  almost 


372  A.    D.     2000 

asunder,  her  bulkheads  broken,  and  the  water  poured 
into  the  ship.  Her  engines  were  wrecked,  and  the 
engine-room  flooded.  A  vessel  of  ordinary  construe, 
tion  would  have  sunk  immediately,  but  the  Provi- 
dence, having  every  improvement,  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  water-tight  compartments,  continued  to  float. 
Torn  and  broken,  she  lay  upon  the  ocean  perfectly 
helpless. 

"The  strange  but  sad  continuation  of  this  disaster 
follows: 

"The  City  of  Providence,  making  the  trip  across 
the  ocean,  as  she  usually  did,  in  four  days,  carried 
provisions  for  but  eight  days.  After  the  explosion 
the  ship  drifted  at  the  mercy  of  the  currents  and 
wind. 

"It  was  four  weeks  after  the  disaster  when  she 
was  found  by  vessels  sent  out  to  look  for  her,  in 
latitude  44  degrees  12  minutes,  and  longitude  31  de- 
grees 16  minutes.  Seven  boats'  crews  had  left  her 
to  seek  aid;  her  passengers  had  been  cut  down  to 
rations,  and  finally  every  vestige  of  food  had  been 
consumed,  and  starvation  and  thirst  commenced  their 
deadly  work.  Out  of  that  host  of  people  on  the 
Providence  when  she  sailed,  only  fifty-four  lived  to 
tell  of  the  terrible  disaster.  Four  of  the  boats  were 
never  heard  from,  and  only  twenty-seven  persons  were 
found  alive  on  the  ship.  During  all  these  weeks  that 
the  Providence  drifted  about,  she  twice  crossed  the 
line  upon  which  the  life-stations  are  now  situated. 
Had    these    stations    then   been  in  existence,   every 


A.    D.     20O0 


373 


soul  on  board  of  the  ill-fated  vessel  would  probably 
have  been  saved.  How  it  could  be  that  a  vessel  of 
the  Providence's  size  could  have  escaped  the  notice 
of  the  hundreds  of  ships  passing  in  that  latitude 
is  a  problem  none  can  solve;  that  she  did,  is  a  fact, 
for  no  report  of  her  was  ever  made  until  she  was 
sighted  by  the  relief  vessel  sent  out  to  search  for  her. 
*  *  *  * 

"These  terrible  disasters,  taken  in  consideration 
with  the  great  advantages  which  would  accrue  were 
there  stations  at  intervals  across  the  ocean,  led  to 
the  creation  of  the  commission. 

•The  commission  met  on  the  19th  day  of  June, 
1923,  and  made  proposals  for  plans  for  these  stations. 
On  the  nth  of  December  of  that  year  the  com- 
mission selected,  from  the  plans  submitted,  those 
of  Mr.  Cyril  Louis,  of  California. 

•These  plans   were  for  a  huge  cylindrical  vessel, 
sitting  upright    in  the    water,    and    surmounted  by 
a  tower  one  hundred  feet  above  the  water  line.    The 
vessel    proper    was    a    cylinder;    its   base,  a  plane; 
its  top,    the    frustum    of    a  cone,    surmounted   by  a 
tower  upon  a  tower.     The  cylinder  was  eighty-three 
feet  in  length  to  the  water  line,   the  cone  nine   feet 
high,  the  first  tower  fifty  one  feet  above  the  frustum 
of  the  cone,  and  the  second   tower  forty    feet   above 
this      The  cylinder  was  made  of  boiler  iron  m  three 
layers  of  one-inch  plates,  and  covered  on  the  outside 
with    aluminum  plates  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick; 
the  diameter  was    thirty  feet,   and    the  vessel  was 


374  A-  D-   2°oo 

divided  into  eight  stories  by  floors  of  one-inch 
steel.  The  first,  or  lower,  and  second  chambers 
were  fourteen  feet  high;  the  next  twelve;  the  four 
following,  ten;  while  the  top  chamber,  under  the 
cone,  was  twelve  feet  to  the  frustum.  All  of  these 
chambers,  except  the  first,  were  divided  into  water- 
tight compartments  by  steel  bulkheads.  The  second 
chamber  had  eight  compartments;  the  third,  two;  the 
fourth,  fifth  and  sixth,  four;  the  seventh  and  eighth 
two.  The  first,  or  main  tower  extended  down  through 
the  cylinder  to  the  top  of  the  third  chamber,  and  was 
eight  feet  in  diameter.  It  was  necessary  to  pass 
through  this  tube  to  gain  entrance  to  any  of  the  floors. 
Access  to  the  different  compartments  of  each  floor 
was  by  means  of  doors  closing  water-tight.  The 
chambers  were  for  use  as  follows:  the  first  contained 
10,000  cubic  feet  of  fine  sand — 1,300,000  pounds — or 
so  much  of  it  as  was  needed  to  bring  the  surface 
of  the  water  to  within  three  feet  of  the  cone.  This 
chamber  was  peculiarly  constructed;  water-holes 
permitted  free  access  to  the  surrounding  water,  caus- 
ing the  sand  to  be  saturated.  Ten  capped  openings 
in  the  bottom  were  manipulated  from  the  engine- 
room  and  office,  and  by  means  of  which  any  amount 
of  sand  could  be  quickly  dropped  from  the  chamber 
into  the  ocean,  thus  decreasing  the  weight  and  in- 
creasing the  buoyancy. 

"The  second  chamber  was  the  water-chamber,  and 
was  divided  into  eight  separate  compartments- 
Water  could  be  admitted  into  any   one,    or    all,   by 


A.  D.    2000  375 

Suitable  levers  worked  in  the  engine-room.  Pipes 
from  each  compartment  were  connected  to  the  pumps 
in  the  engine-room,  thus  permitting  of  the  compart- 
ment being  quicky  emptied  of  its  water.  The  capac- 
ity of  the  eight  compartments  was  10,000  cubic  feet, 
or  64,000  pounds  of  water. 

"The  third  chamber  was  the  engine-room.  Here 
was  all  of  the  machinery  used  in  operating  the  sta- 
tion: The  main  engines  for  the  pumps  (pipes  from 
which  ran  to  every  compartment  in  the  cylinder),  for 
the  fans  for  circulating  fresh  air;  dynamos  for  elec- 
tric lighting,  pumps  of  the  condensers,  and,  last,  the 
three  propellers,  which  were  situated  on  the  outside, 
on  a  level  with  the  engine-room  floor — two  at  180 
degrees  apart,  their  faces  parallel  to  the  diameter 
of  the  cylinder,  and  the  other  at  right  angles  to  them 
and  ninety  degrees  from  either.  These  propellers 
were  used  to  prevent  any  rotary  motion  of  the 
cylinder. 

"Until  lipthalite  had  been  discovered — and  it  is 
now  used — petroleum  was  the  fuel  for  these  engines, 
the  vapors  escaping  through  a  tube  extending  to 
near  the  top  of  the  first  tower.  Within  the  engine- 
room  was  a  set  of  dials  and  bells  which  would  give 
instant  warning  of  the  entrance  of  water  into  any 
compartment,  tubes  and  telephones  to  all  parts  of 
the  vessel;  dials  for  pressure,  submergence,  state 
of  electricity;  levers  for  opening  sand  and  water 
ports,  etc.  The  fourth  and  fifth  chambers  were  for 
stores  and  material. 


376  A.    D.    2O00 

"The  sixth  contained  the  kitchen,  mess,  etc. 

"The  seventh  was  the  dormitory,  while  the  eighth 
was  the  officers' cabin  and  office.  Natural  light  was 
admitted  into  the  last  two  chambers  through 
bull's-eyes. 

"The  office  was  provided  with  every  instrument 
necessary  in  operating  the  station,  and  from  it 
the  sand  and  water  ports  could  be  opened. 

"The  first  tower  was  eight  feet  in  diameter,  taper- 
ing to  five  feet  at  the  top,  and  fifty-one  feet  high.  It 
was  made  of  two-inch  steel  rings,  six  feet  wide, 
firmly  riveted  together,  the  whole  covered  by  alu- 
minum plates. 

"The  entrance  to  the  vessel  was  through  the  tower, 
at  the  top  of  the  frustum.  A  spiral  stairway  led  to 
a  port  at  the  top,  through  which  the  upper  balcony 
was  reached.  Bull's-eyes  admitted  light  to  the  in- 
terior during  the  day. 

"The  upper  tower  was  forty  feet  high  in  the  clear, 
setting  down  fifteen  feet  in  the  first  tower,  and  was 
twenty  inches  in  diameter,  of  one-inch  cast  steel. 
The  interior  of  this  tower  was  divided  into  a  central 
pipe  of  ten  inches  diameter,  surrounded  by  four 
pipes  in  the  quadrants  of  its  area.  The  central 
pipe  was  used  for  raising  the  electric  lamp,  of  25,- 
000  candle  power;  the  other  pipes  were,  two  for  the 
engines,  to  carry  off  the  vapors,  etc.,  one  for  receiv- 
ing fresh  air  into  the  vessel,  and  the  other  for  carry- 
ing off  the  vitiated  air. 

"Upon  the  side    of  the  cone  was  a  complete  life 


A.   D.  2000  377 

raft,  provisioned  and  ready  for  instant  use,  and  so 
fastened  that  it  could  be  launched  at  a  moment's 
notice. 

"The  station  was  anchored  by  a  three-inch  cable, 
pivoted  at  both  ends  to  prevent  twisting.  In  the 
C2nter  of  the  cable  were  electric  wires  terminating 
at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  in  a  large  coil.  This 
coil  was  laid  upon  one  of  the  old  Atlantic  cables 
which  had  been  abandoned  after  the  invention  of 
the  sympathetic  telegraph. 

"In  the  office  were  a  set  of  instruments,  and  com- 
munication was  by  induction  to  the  cable  below, 
and  thence  to  each  end  and  to  each  station. 

"The  normal  submergence  of  the  vessel  was  to 
within  three  feet  of  the  cone.  The  exceptional,  or 
rough  weather,  submergence  was  to  within  two  feet 
of  the  top  of  the  tower. 

"The  weights  were  as  follows: 

Pounds. 

Shell  of  vessel 1,200,000 

Cone 106,000 

First  tower 163,000 

Second  tower 12,000 

Seven  floors 176,000 

Bulkheads 100,000 

Bracing  and  iron-work 100,000 

Engines  and  machinery 200.000 

Stores  for  100  persons  (six  months) 75,000 

Stores  for  vessels 50,000 

Cable 260,000 

Total  weights 2,442,000 

"The  normal  displacement  of  the  vessel  was  57,225 
cubic  feet,  or  3,664,000  pounds.  This  displacement, 
less  the  weights,  gave  an  excess  of  1,200,000  pounds, 
which  was  compensated  for  by  the  sand  in  the  sand- 
chamber — the  capacity  of  that  chamber  being 
1.300,000  pounds, 


37^  A.    D.    2000 

"During  stormy  and  rough  weather,  to  decrease 
the  pressure  of  the  winds  and  waves  upon  the  towers, 
and  to  increase  the  stability  of  the  vessel,  water 
could  be  admitted  into  the  water-chambers,  and  the 
vessel  would  sink  until  the  water,  line  was  within 
two  feet  of  the  top  of  the  first  tower,  for  the  dis- 
placements to  be  overcome  were: 

Pounds. 

Three  feet  of  the  shell 135,000 

Cone 180,000 

First  tower 149,000 

Total 464,000 

"The  capacity  of  the  water-chamber  being  677,000 
pounds,  there  was  a  large  excess  over  this  displace- 
ment; this  excess  was  to  compensate  for  loss  of  weight 
by  stores  being  used,  taken  out,   etc. 

"The  station  carries  a  flag  at  its  peak,  by  day,  with 
its  station  number  thereon;  at  night  it  shows  a  25,000 
candle-power  light;  its  interior,  also,  is  lighted  by 
electricity. 

"The  plans  of  Mr.  Louis  were  accepted,  and  in 
less  than  three  years  a  line  of  thirty-eight  stations 
were  placed  across  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

"It  was  agreed  between  the  nations  that  each  should 
contribute  a  third  of  the  cost  ($12,000,000),  and  that 
salvage  for  person  and  property,  at  a  fixed  and  just 
rate,  should  be  demanded  from  every  nation  whose 
flag  may  be  succored  by  one  of  these  stations;  and 
further,  that    should  war  intervene  between    any  of 


A.    D.   2000  379 

the  nations  contracting,  the  line  of  stations  should 
remain  unmolested,  and  should  not  be  used  for  pur- 
poses of  war." 

Cobb  dropped  the  pamphlet  by  his  side,  and 
pondered  over  the  great  invention  of  which  he  had 
just  read,  and  which  he  had  seen. 

"And  have  no  accidents  ever  happened  to  these 
stations  from  ice-floes,  collisions,  or  faulty  con- 
struction?" he  finally  asked,  turning    toward  Hugh. 

"I  believe  there  has  been  but  one  noteworthy 
accident,"  the  other  returned.  "An  immense  ice- 
floe caused  Station  No.  5  to  slip  her  cable,  and  run 
away— an  easy  matter  for  her,  as  her  propellers  give 
her  a  speed  of  about  five  miles  an  hour.  Of  course 
her  cable  was  lost;  but  she  was  saved,  and  was 
picked  up  and  reset  by  the  lipthalener  which  contin- 
uously plies  along  the  line." 

It  was  now  nearly  23  dial,  and  Cobb  arose,  and 
consulted  the  speed  dial  of  the  Orion. 

"Hugh,"  he  said,  "please  have  the  course  changed 
to  due  north;  we  are  nearly  on  the  fortieth  meridian, 
and  should  now  make  direct  for  Cape  Farewell." 

The  other  passed  up  to  the  pilot's  house. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

The  cold  was  increasing,  and  the  snug,  warm  cabin 
of  the  Orion  was  a  most  acceptable  substitute  for 
the  frost-covered  deck  of  the  vessel.  At  7  dial  break- 
fast was  laid,  and  the  three  officers  partook  of  a 
hearty  meal;  then  lighting  their  cigars — the  necessity 
for  fires  aboard  the  vessel  being  removed  by 
the  substitution  of  meteorlene  for  hydrogen — they 
lay  back  and  enjoyed    the  hour. 

"Why  did  you  bring  so  much  meteorite  and  acid?" 
suddenly  asked  Lester. 

"Because,"  answered  Cobb,  "I  wished  to  have 
enough  to  meet  all  emergencies  which  may  arise. 
I  have  enough  to  fully  inflate  the  balloon  four  times." 

"Do  you  intend  to  make  direct  for  the  pole  from 
Cape  Farewell?"  broke  in  Hugh. 

"No.  I  wish  to  satisfy  myself  about  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  Smith's  Sound  first.  I  shall  pass 
west   when   on    the  eightieth  parallel  of    latitude." 

"Can  you  explain  why  it  is  that  the  pole  has 
never  been  reached  by  land  parties?"  inquired 
Lester. 

"My  opinion,"  replied  Cobb,  "is  that  they  have 
never  proceeded  upon  the  proper  course.  I  think 
that  Smith's  Sound  leads  the  waters  of  an  immense 
polar  ocean  into  Baffin's  Bay;  that  the  sea  is  a 
moving  sea  of  ice,   and  that  any  northward  progress 

380 


A.    D.    2000 


38l 


upon  it  would  be  more  than  counterbalanced  by  its 
southward  movement.  I  have  long  believed  that  the 
only  route  lay  along  the  backbone  of  Greenland." 

"Well,"  with  satisfaction,  "we  can  soon  ascertain 
the  truth  or  fallacy  of  your  hypothesis,"  exclaimed 
Hugh. 

"Yes;  for  we  will  pass  up  on  the  fortieth  meridian 
of  longitude  to  the  eightieth  parallel;  this  course 
will  take  us  over  the  central  length  of  Greenland," 
and  Cobb  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  about  him,  and 
closed  his  eyes  in  meditation. 

At  precisely  4:  15  dial  the  following  day  the  Orion 
stood  poised  above  the  southern  extremity  of  Green- 
land.    The  earth  below  them  lay  like  a  white  sheet, 
extending  as  far  to  the  north  as  the  eye  could  reach; 
the  waters  to  the  south  were  covered  with    floating 
ice,  while  great,  towering  icebergs  were  visible    in 
many  directions.     The  cold  had  become  very  great, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  change  their  clothing  for  fur. 
But,  despite  the  freezing  atmosphere,  they  were  warm 
and'cozy  in  the  ship.     Hugh  had  worked  hard  during 
the  two  days  given  him  to  complete  their    arrange- 
ments;    the    canvas    exterior  of   the    car    had  been 
given  a  thorough  coating  of   heavy  varnish,   and  the 
interior  lined  with  blankets  throughout,  while  heavy, 
thick  carpets   covered  all    the   floors.     The   electric 
heaters,  except  in  the  pilot's  house  and  three  state- 
rooms, had  been  replaced  by  oil -stoves  of    superior 
heating  properties.      Ten   barrels   of    oil    had    been 
placed  on  board,  and  one  hundred  cells   of    storage 


3§2  A.    D.    200O 

battery  added  to  the  plant.  With  these  wise  pro- 
visions and  the  forethought  to  provide  an  abun- 
dance of  the  warmest  flannel,  and  fur  clothing  for 
all,  the  severity  of  the  weather  had  little  effect 
upon  the  welfare  and  comfort  of  those  aboard  the 
Orion. 

A  strong  wind  was  blowing  off  the  coast,  and  the 
vessel  made  but  little  headway;  the  barometer 
marked  26.64  inches,  and  the  elevation  was  3,200 
feet. 

"Lester,"  said  Cobb,  after  a  pause,  and  looking 
through  the  frosted  window,  "I  wish  you  would  in- 
crease the  gas;  we  must  rise  above  this  current  of 
air,  or  we  will  be  blown  off  the  coast." 

Hathaway  passed  out,  and  filled  the  receivers,  and 
soon  the  Orion  was  rapidly  ascending.  Watching 
the  barometer  carefully,  Cobb  soon  put  his  lips  to 
the  speaking-tube,  and  called  to  Lester:  "That  will 
do."  The  barometer  registered  18.2  inches,  and  the 
elevation  had  been  increased  to  13,000  feet,  striking 
a  strong  current  which  immediately  took  the  vessel 
swiftly  due  north. 

Cape  Farewell  was  in  latitude  sixty  degrees,  and  on 
the  forty-fourth  meridian  from  Greenwich.  It  was 
over  1,200  miles  to  the  eightieth  degree,  from  which 
Cobb  intended  to  move  west  to  Smith's  Sound. 

The  days  had  become  shorter  and  shorter  as  they 
progressed  northward. 

"It's  a  bad  time  of  the  year,"  said  Hugh,  "to  make 
the  voyage.    The  cold  will  be  intense,  and  there  will 


A.     D.    2000  383 

be  no  sun  north  of  the  seventy-fourth  degree  after  to- 
day. " 

"Yes;  I  know  it,"  returned  Cobb.  "But  we  will 
have  the  aurora,  and  that  will  give  a  sufficiency  of 
light  for  all  our  purposes." 

In  the  steady,  strong  northerly  current,  the  Orion 
made  rapid  progress.  The  great  glaciers  of  Southern 
Greenland  were  passed,  and  then  the  chain  of  mount- 
ains which  traverses  the  land  from  north  to  south 
were  reached.  Keeping  exactly  along  the  backbone 
of  the  range,  the  Orion  speed  northward. 

On  either  side  great  canyons  opened  toward  the 
west  and  east;  immense  rivers  of  ice  and  slow-mov- 
ing glaciers  extended  toward  the  sea.  The  land 
was  white  with  snow,  save  here  and  there  where  the 
black  rocks  of  the  mountains  broke  through.  A 
barren,  dreary  waste  was  upon  every  side,  and  a 
scene  of  utter  desolation  presented  itself  to  these 
few  mortals  far  up  in  the  clouds. 

Still  the  vessel  moved  northward;  degree  after 
degree  was  passed,  and  it  was  12  dial  when  they 
reached  the  seventy-fifth  degree  of  latitude.  The  sun 
lay  like  a  ball  of  fire  upon  the  plain  of  snow  to  the 
south,  its  disc  just  visible  as  it  seemed  to  rest  on 
the  horizon.  The  three  officers  stood  at  the  rail, 
and  raised  their  fur  caps  in  salutation. 

"Good-bye,  old  Sol;  good-bye  to  your  bright  light!" 
cried  Cobb,  as  he  waved  his  cap.  "It  will  be  many 
an  hour — days,  even,  and  perhaps  years,  ere  your  face 
is  seen  by  us  again!  " 


384  a.  d.  2000 

"Let  us  say  days  only,  Junius,"  the  others  ex- 
claimed, together.  "We  hope  soon  to  see  its  glori- 
ous face  again." 

"Perhaps!"  With  this  single  word,  Cobb  turned 
and  entered  the  cabin,  where  he  spread  out  before 
him  a  chart  of  the  arctic  regions,  and  examined  it 
intently.  Five  degrees  more  and  he  would  turn  to 
the  west! 

Dinner  was  soon  announced,  and  eaten  with  a  rel- 
ish, as  the  bracing  air  had  given  each  a  good  appe- 
tite. The  sunlight  had  given  place  to  twilight, 
and  that,  in  turn,  had  been  followed  by  night. 
The  stars  shone  out  with  brilliancy,  and  studded 
the  heavens  in  every  direction.  The  Orion,  being 
in  an  upper  current,  moved  with  surprising  even- 
ness. The  pole-star  was  high  in  the  sky,  and  the 
great  bear  directly  over  their  heads. 

It  was  18  dial  by  their  chronometers,  and  they 
should  be  near  the  eightieth  parallel. 

"Hugh,"  said  Cobb,  rising  from  his  chair,  "will 
you  take  the  latitude  from  Polaris?  Never  mind  the 
refraction;  I  want  it  only  to  within  a  few  minutes." 
Hugh  took  the  sextant,  and  left  the  cabin,  while 
Cobb  turned  to  Hathaway,  and  remarked:  "Lester, 
this  is  a  very  comfortable  room,  this  one  of  ours  in 
the  arctic  regions,  is  it  not?" 

"Indeed,  it  is, "  the  other  replied. 

"And  we  are  going  north,  to  the  extremity  of  the 
earth?" 

"I  understand  such  to  be  your  intention." 


A.     U.     2000  385 

"It  would  be  sad  for  you  and  Hugh  if  we  never 
returned  !" 

"I  do  not  think  of  it  in  that  light,"  smilingly  re- 
turned his  companion,  as  he  lighted  a  fresh  cigar. 
"There  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  return, 
and  return  in  a  halo  of  glory." 

"I  hope  so. " 

At  this  moment  Hugh  came,  and  announced  that 
he  made  the  latitude  79  degrees  55  minutes.  Seven 
minutes  later  the  course  of  the  Orion  was  laid  due 
west. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  at  1  dial,  the  vessel  lay  to 
over  Napoleon  Island.  From  this  point  they  pro- 
ceeded due  north,  Cobb  carefully  watching  the  earth 
below  them.  For  three  degrees  the  course  of 
Smith's  Sound  was  plainly  visible,  then  it  ter- 
minated in  a  great  sea  of  floating  ice  to  the  north. 
"As  I  thought,"  he  murmured:  "There  is  no  road 
to  the  pole  from  the  continent  of  North  Amer- 
ica. " 

At  6  dial  the  Orion's  course  was  still  due  north. 

Returning  to  the  cabin,  breakfast  was  served,  and 
all  enjoyed  the  good  things  which  had  been  pre- 
pared, and,  also,  the  warmth  of  the  interior.  As  the 
hour  of  10  dial  drew  near,  Cobb  took  the  sextant,  and 
passed  out  of  the  cabin,  and  stationed  himself  at 
the  rail  near  the  pilot's  house.  There,  with  instru- 
ment in  hand,  he  carefully  watched  Polaris  rise  to- 
ward the  zenith  as  the  ship  moved  north.  Sud- 
denly he  dropped  the  instrument  to  his  side,  and 
A.  D.  2000   .25 


386  A.     D.    2000 

cried,  in  a   quick,  sharp    voice:    "Ninety  degrees    to 
the  right;   quick!  " 

The  Orion  turned  in  a  graceful  curve,  and  bore  due 
east. 

At  16  dial  Cobb  again  came  on  deck  and  consulted 
his  sextant.  After  a  moment  he  laid  aside  the  instru- 
ment,  and  took  his  watch  in  his  fur-covered  hand, 
and  noted  the  revolution-counter  on  the  side  of 
the  pilot's  house.  "We  are  moving  due  east  on 
the  parallel  of  83  degrees  24  minutes,"  he  replied  to 
Hugh  and  Lester,  as  the  two  men  came  from  the 
cabin  and  inquired  why  he  was  consulting  his  watch, 
"and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  will  be  on  the  meridian 
of  40  degrees  46  minutes  in  five  minutes,"  and  he 
put  the  telescope  to  his  eye  and  intently  examined 
the  earth  below  them.  "Ha!  As  I  thought!"  he 
suddenly  cried,  excitedly:  "Stop  her!  Stop  her! 
Stop  the  engines!  " 

The  pilot  threw  over  the  electric  switch,  and  the 
great  propeller  gradually  ceased  to  revolve.  Jump- 
ing quickly  to  the  escape-valve,  Cobb  carefully 
allowed  the  gas  to  escape,  and  the  Orion  began 
gently  to  settle.  Hugh  and  Lester  looked  at  the 
man  in  amazement.  Was  he  crazy?  Why  was  he 
thus  descending  into  a  barren,  icy  plain  miles  yet 
from  the  pole? 

"Make  ready,  Hugh,  to  alight,"  cried  Cobb.  "I 
will  explain  all  afterward." 

The  Orion  touched  the  snowy  plain.  Still  discharg- 
ing gas  that  the  vessel  might  not   ascend,  when   re- 


A.     P.     2000  387 

lieved  of  the  weight  of  himself  and  companions,  he 
pointed  to  a  cone  of  rocks  standing  high  and  bare 
above  the  snow,  some  four  hundred  yards  away. 

"That  is  why  I  have  landed,"  he  quietly  said: 
"Come;   follow  me,  and  I  will  explain." 

Stepping  down  the  ladders,  the  three  men  made 
*  their  way  over  the  snow  toward  the  spot  pointed 
out,  and  found  a  pile  of  rocks  about  thirty  feet  high 
standing  on  the  shore  of  the  icy  sea.  As  Lester  and 
Hugh  examined  the  monument,  Cobb,  saying  nothing, 
commenced  to  pull  aside  the  stones.  A  moment  later 
and  he  had  unearthed  an  old  rusty  meat-can,  and  was 
excitedly  tearing  it  open.  Its  contents  was  a  letter. 
Without  waiting  to  hear  the  questions  which  he 
knew  the  two  men  were  about  to  ask,  he  said:  "This 
is  the  cairn  left  by  Brainard  and  Lockwood  in  1882. 
This  is  the  spot,  83  degrees  24  minutes  north  lati- 
tude, and  40  degrees  46  minutes  west  longitude, 
which  they  reached  on  that  day,  memorable  in  his- 
tory, when  the  highest  latitude  on  the  globe  was 
reached  by  a  human  being." 

"And  you  knew  that  a  letter  would  be  found  in 
that  cairn?"  inquired  Lester,  with  intense  surprise. 

"I  was  told  so  by  Brainard,"  Cobb  answered, 
with  quiet  unconcern. 

"And  you  personally  knew  .  the  man  who  left 
that  letter  here  in  this  desolate  waste? "  incredulously 
broke  in  Hugh. 

"Intimately." 

Cobb  then  detailed  all  the  circumstances  attending 


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/, 


A.    D.     2000  389 

the  fit-out  of  the  Greely  expedition,  and  his  per- 
sonal acquaintance  with  Brainard  and  Lockwood. 
Pie  narrated  that  they  had  reached  this  memorable 
spot  on  the  13th  of  May,  1882,  and  could  go  no  far- 
ther, as  a  great  sea  washed  the  shore  in  front  of 
them — the  time  being  summer.  Opening  the  letter 
which  he  had  taken  from  the  meat-can,  he  read  to 
his  astonished  friends: 

"Now!  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  raised  the  letter 
aloft;  "now,  in  honor  to  the  men  who  suffered,  and 
to  Lockwood,  who  perished,  the  record  of  their 
search  for  the  pole  shall  not  rest  here,  but  shall 
continue  its  journey,  even  to  the  pole  itself,  and 
be  laid  upon  the  pivotal  axis  of  this  might}' globe. " 

An  hour  later  the  Orion  was  bearing  due  north, 
and  the  three  officers  were  sitting  in  the  warm 
cabin  discussing  the  cairn,  the  letter,  and  the 
Greeley  expedition  of  1880. 

Higher  and  higher  rose  Polaris  to  the  zenith; 
onward,  mile  after  mile,  flew  the  ship.  The  cold 
outside  had  become  intense,  and  the  spirit  ther- 
mometer registered  86  degrees  F.  The  aurora  filled 
the  heavens  about  them  as  if  a  huge,  circular  tent 
of  brilliantly  colored  stripes  of  fire  had  been  pitched 
above  them.  No  moisture  in  the  air,  no  sound, 
save  the  whir  of  the  propeller,  as  it  rapidly  re- 
volved and  sent  the  vessel  forward.  Below  was  ice — 
ice — and  nothing  more. 

So  intense  was  the  cold  that,  as  Cobb  unthink- 
ingly  touched   his   bare    moist    hand  to  the  sextant 


3go  A.   D.   2000 

which  had  been  brought  in  by  the  boy,  the  skin  and 
flesh  were  burnt  as  by  a  red-hot  iron. 

"It  was  18  dial  when  we  left  the  cairn,  in  latitude 
83  degrees  24  minutes,"  said  Cobb,  after  a  pause 
in  the  conversation,  "and  the  distance  to  the  pole 
was  just  458  miles.  Our  speed  has  been  uniform, 
and  at  the  rate  of  forty-three  and-a-half  miles  per 
hour,  we  should  cover  the  distance  in  ten  hours 
thirty-one  minutes  and  forty-eight  seconds,  and  at 
thirty-one  minutes  forty-eight  seconds  past  4  dial 
ought  to  be  directly  over  the  pole." 

Indeed,  Cobb  was  perfectly  correct  in  his  reckon- 
ing, for  at  the  hour  mentioned  the  Orion  was 
brought  to  a  standstill,  and  then  gently  dropped  to 
the  earth  below.  Excitedly  jumping  down  the 
ladders,  the  three  men  sprang  out  upon  the  snow, 
and,  in  one  voice,  exultingly  exclaimed:  "The  pole! 
the  pole!   the  north  pole!" 

True,  it  was  the  vicinity  of  the  north  pole  of  ihe 
earth,  but  it  was  not  until  after  five  days  of  hard 
work  and  intricate  calculations  that  the  exact  spot 
through  which  the  axis  of  the  earth  passed,  had 
been  located. 

The  record  showed  the  exact  time  of  locating  this 
spot  to  be  12  dial,  January  23,   2001. 

Then  was  erected,  from  such  materials  as  could  be 
spared  from  the  Orion,  a  monument  to  mark  the 
spot.  A  hollow  aluminum  rod  was  driven  deep 
through  the  snow  into  the  earth  underneath,  and 
within  it  were  placed  letters  and  papers,  and  a  portion 


a.  d.   2000  391 

of    the  documents  found  in  the   cairn  in  latitude  83 
degrees  24  minutes. 

Their  task  completed,  they  contemplated  their 
achievement;  a  dreary  waste,  with  snow  in  every 
direction,  contained  within  its  center  the  evidence  of 
their  wonderful  discovery;  and  that  evidence  was 
a  single  monument  of  boxes,  barrels,  metals,  and 
whatever  else  could  be  spared  from  the  Orion  to 
mark  the  north  point  of  the  earth's  axis!  Surely 
this  was  little  reward  for  the  years  of  arduous 
toil  and  physical  suffering  of  mankind,  for  the  vast 
sums  expended  and  for  the  hundreds  of  human  lives 
which  had  been  sacrificed  in  the  vain  ambition  of 
discovering  the  polar  axis  of  the  earth! 

The  Orion  lay  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
monument  which  had  been  erected,  with  her  great 
gas  bag  nearly  empty.  A  large  tent,  however,  had 
been  set  up  exactly  over  the  pole  to  shelter  them 
from  the  cold  winds  as  they  made  their  observations. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  January  the  three 
men  proceeded  to  the  tent  for  the  last  time.  Hugh 
carried  a  large  box  in  his  arms,  and  Lester  had  a 
storage  battery  well  wrapped    in  warm  flannels. 

"It  will  be  gladsome  news  to  your  father,  Hugh, 
if  you  can  send  a  message  to  him  from  here,"  said 
Cobb,  as  they  entered  the  tent. 

"Indeed,  it  will!"  joyously  returned  the  other. 
"I  will  soon  have  my  instruments  in  position, 
and  then  for  word  from  home!  "  He  beamed  with 
the  thought,  for  might  he  not  hear  from  Marie?     Of 


392 


A.    D.     2000 


course  he    would!     They    certainly  would    tell  him 
where  she  was,  and    if    she  and    Mollie  were  well! 

Hugh  had  brought  a  set  of  sympathetic  instru- 
ments with  him,  the  mate  to  which  was  in  the  office 
of  the  President's  private  secretary.  He  had  cau- 
tioned that  gentleman  to  watch  at  a  certain  hour 
of  each  day  for  his  signals.  That  hour  had  been 
designated  as  n  to  12  dial. 

Setting  his  instruments  on  the  top  of  the  little 
monument,  Hugh  worked  assiduously  to  get  an 
answering  click  from  the  office  in  Washington, 
but  without  success.  In  every  conceivable  position 
that  he  laid  the  needle  the  result  was  the  same — 
no  influence  from  its  Washington  mate.  Disgusted, 
he  arose  from  his  work,  and  debated  the  situation 
in  his  mind. 

"Ah! "  he  suddenly  exclaimed,  pointing  to  the 
needle.  "I  see  it  now!  The  needle  is  directly 
over  the  pole,  and  moves  in  the  plane  of  the 
equator,  while  every  other  needle  of  the  whole 
system  of  the  sympathetic  telegraph  points  to  the 
north  star."  As  he  spoke,  he  seized  the  instru- 
ment, and  carefully  turned  it  on  its  side  until  the 
needle  moved  in  a  vertical  plane;  then  fixing  it 
solidly,  he  brought  the  needle  into  a  perfectly 
vertical  position,  and  iaised  his  hands  from  the 
instrument. 

"Ah!"  burst  sharp  and  quick  from  all.  "Click — 
click — click,"  and  the  needle  seemed  to  fondly  pat 
the  little  brass    stud  on  its  right.      "Hurrah!  we've 


a.  d.  2000  393 

got  him!"  cried  Hugh,  and  wild  with  excitement, 
he  sprang  to  the  key  and  called,  "W — W — W. " 
Again  the  joyful  click,  and  the  "I — I — I — W"  of 
the  Washington  operator  was  heard  by  all.  For  an 
hour  the  instruments  clicked,  and  message  upon 
message  had  been  sent  to  the  President  and  others 
in  the  great,  busy  world  far  to  the  south  of  them; 
and  from  these  messages  word  had  been  flashed  to 
all  the  known  nations  of  the  globe  of  the  great  suc- 
cess— the  discovery  of  the  north  pole  by  three 
American  officers. 

At  last  came  the  words,  through  the  instrument: 

"Your  father  says  Mollie  and  Marie  are  in  San 
Francisco  yet,  and  have  sent  word  for  you  to  join 
them  there  as  soon  as  possible.  They  have  a 
surprise  in  store  for  Mr.  Cobb.  He  says  you  are 
not  to  delay  at  the  pole,  but  proceed  direct  to 
San  Francisco,  to  your  aunt's.  Your  father  further 
says  that,  as  Captain  Hathaway  has  made  such  a 
record  for  himself  with  you  and  Mr.  Cobb,  he  may 
call  upon  him,  on  his  return,  in  regard  to  a  little 
matter  which  has  been,  heretofore,  an  unpleasant 
subject  between  them." 

Hugh  smiled  as  he  translated  the  message,  and 
looked  with  a  glad  expression  into  the  eyes  of 
Lester.  That  gentleman,  as  he  comprehended  the 
meaning  of  the  message,  danced  a  hornpipe  in  the 
snow,  and  cried,  with  ecstasy:  "She'll  be  mine  at 
last! " 

"Let  us  be  up  and  away !"  exclaimed  Hugh,  as  he 


394  A-    T>-  2000 

gave  the  final  answers  to  the  Washington  operator. 
"On  to  San  Francisco,  Lester!  on  to  our  girls,  is 
our  cry !" 

"Then,  take  your  bearings,  Hugh,  for  Behring 
Strait,"  directed  Cobb.  "It  will  be  necessary  for 
us  to  go  that  way  to  replenish  our  supply  of  lip- 
thalite  at  Port  Clarence,  or  else  trust  to  the  cur- 
rents part  of  the  way." 

A  puzzled  expression  came  over  the  face  of  the 
other,  and  he  seemed  lost  in  a  quandary.  "Easy 
enough  to  say,  'Take  your  bearings,'"  he  returned, 
"but  how?  I  will  be  hanged  if  I  know  one  merid- 
ian from  another  here.  In  fact,  we  are  on  all  of 
them." 

"Don't  you  know  in  which  direction  south  is?" 
asked  Lester,  with  a  laugh. 

"Of  course,  I  do.  But  do  you  know  in  which  di- 
rection the  meridian  of  ten  degrees  runs,  for  that  is 
the  meridian  which  passes  through  Behring  Strait?" 

In  fact,  it  was  quite  a  puzzling  question  to 
answer.  All  the  meridians  centered  at  the  pole, 
and  the  time  there  was  the  apparent  time  of  every 
meridian  on  the  globe.  Standing  on  the  pole,  it 
seemed  absolutely  impossible  for  one  to  know  if  he 
were  facing  London  or  Washington,  or  any  partic- 
ular point  on  the  earth's  surface.  Hugh  scratched 
his  head  in  perplexity. 

"Take  the  needle,"  calmly  said  Cobb. 

"Yes;  but  it  don't  point  north  any  more;  it 
poinas  somewhere  south,"  he  answered. 


a.   d.  2000  395 

"And  where  may  that  south  point  be?"  inquir- 
ingly. 

"Why,  the  north  magnetic  pole  of    the  earth,  of 
course,"  with  a  glimmer  of  perception. 

"And  that  pole  is  where?" 

"In  Boothia  Felix." 

"Exactly;  in  70  degrees  6  minutes  north  latitude, 
and  96  degrees  50  minutes  45  seconds  west  longi- 
tude, on  the  west  coast  of  Boothia,  facing  Ross 
Straits.  Your  needle  points  there;  so  all  you  have 
to  do  is  to  lay  off  73  degrees  9  minutes  15  seconds  to 
the  right,  and  you  have  the  course  to  Port  Clarence, 
North  Alaska." 

The  Orion  was  again  made  ready,  the  gas  bag 
filled,  a  last  adieu  given  to  the  north  pole  of  the 
earth,  and  the  three  friends  mounted  the  ladders, 
touched  the  electric  button  of  the  engines,  and  sped 
swiftly  down  the  one  hundred  and  seventieth  merid- 
ian of  loagitude. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

It  was  the  nth  of  February,  warm  and  bright,  in 
that  delightful  climate  of  California.  In  the  hand- 
some residence  of  Mrs.  Morse,  on  California  street, 
reclining  in  a  large  arm-chair,  sat  Marie  Colchis. 
A  book  lay  upon  the  floor,  where  it  had  fallen  from 
her  hand,  and  she  lay  among  the  cushions  with  a 
far-away,  dreamy  expression  in  her  eyes.  Nearly 
five  weeks  had  elapsed  since  she  left  the  Island 
of  Guadalupe  and  came  with  her  two  friends  to 
San  Francisco. 

Care  and  attention  and  the  best  of  nursing  had 
saved  the  girl  from  the  fever  which  first  threatened 
to  make  her  recovery  slow  and  uncertain.  She 
had  regained  her  health,  her  flesh  and  beauty;  her 
skin  was  exceeding  fair,  but  the  whiteness  was  set 
off  by  the  rich  red  of  her  cheeks  and  lips. 

Recovered  from  death,  among  friends  who  loved 
her,  and  expecting  every  moment  the  arrival  of 
the  one  of  all  men  whom  she  had  ever  loved,  whom 
she  adored  now,  she  lay  dreaming  of  the  time  when 
she  should  be  clasped  in  his  arms. 

Marie  had  been  informed  of  everything  concern- 
ing Junius  Cobb.  She  knew  of  his  apparent  infat- 
uation with  Mollie,  and  of  his  subsequent  disincli- 
nation for  the  society  of  either  her  or  Marie 
Hathaway.     Mollie  had"  told  her  of    the  time    when 

896 


a.  d.   2000  397 

he  had  called  her  by  name  in  such  words  of  love 
and  endearment,  and  Marie  believed  that  his  heart 
was  hers  yet.  She  was  informed  of  his  journey  to 
the  pole,  of  his  safe  arrival  there,  and  knew  that 
he  was  expected  in  San  Francisco  at  any  mo- 
ment. 

"Oh  that  the  time  would  soon  come!  "  she  had 
cried  in  her  heart  many  times.  "Will  he  know  me? 
Will  he  still  love  me?"  she  had  asked  herself;  "and 
then,  if  not,  I  shall  die!"  she  would  murmur  sadly, 
while  the  beautiful  eyes  would  fill  with  tears. 

"They  are  coming,  Marie!  They  are  coming!  " 
screamed  Mollie,  rushing  into  the  room.  "They 
are  at  the  door!  " 

Marie  started  from  her  chair,  gasped,  and  pressed 
her  hand  to  her  heart.  He  was  at  the  door!  he 
whom  she  loved,  and  from  whom  she  had  been  sep- 
arated for  over  a  hundred  years! 

"Remember,  Marie,  your  promise;  you  are  Leona 
Bennett;"  and  with  this  parting  instruction,  Mollie 
shot  to  the  door  just  in  time  to  be  clasped  in  the 
arms  of  Lester  Hathaway,  who  was  leading  the  way 
for  Cobb.  Hugh  had  stopped  in  the  hall,  hugging 
the  plump  little  form  of  Marie  Hathaway. 

A  moment  later  Mollie  led  Cobb  toward  Marie, 
who  was  standing  by  the  window  at  the  side  of  the 
room. 

"Leona,  this  is  our  friend,  Mr.  Cobb,  of  whom 
you  have  heard  us  speak.  Junius,  my  cousin, 
Leona  Bennett." 


398  A.    D.    2000 

Mollie  smiled  slyly,  and  gave  Marie  a  knowing 
look. 

Cobb  bowed  low,  and  then,  looking  up,  hesitated 
as  if  lost  in  admiration  of  the  beautiful  0  face 
before  him.  Ere  a  word  could  be  spoken  by  either, 
Lester  and  Hugh  were  brought  forward  and  pre- 
sented. 

"You  must  have  thought  me  rude,  Miss  Bennett," 
said  Cobb,  a  little  later,  as  he  and  Marie  sat  near 
each  other,  "not  to  have  expressed  the  pleasure 
which  I  could  not  but  feel  at  meeting  one  so  beau- 
tiful  as  yourself/' 

"I,  equally,  was  unable  to  more  than  acknowledge 
the  introduction;  for  you  know  the  others  were  upon 
us,  and  we  had  no  time,"  and  she  smiled  charm- 
ingly upon  him,  while  her  eyes  seemed  to  have  a 
longing,  craving  expression.  "You  have  had  a  most 
remarkable  experience  in  life,  Mr.  Cobb,"  she 
added,  after  a  pause. 

"Yes,"  sadly.  "And  many  times  I  have  wished 
my  fate  had  ordained  it  otherwise;  but  now,  Miss 
Bennett,  it  would  beungallant,  and,"  with  a  search- 
ing look,  "untrue,  to  say  that  I  do,  for  I  have 
met  you." 

"Ah,  you  are  like  all  men,  ever  ready  with  a 
compliment." 

"But  it  seems  as  if  I  was  drawn  to  you  by  some 
power  I  cannot  express,"  he  continued,  looking  deep 
into  her  eyes. 

"Do  I  remind  you  of  some  old  friend,   some    old 


a.    d.    2000  399 

love?"  she  banteringly  asked,  though  it  was  easy  to 
perceive  that  she  longed  for  an  affirmative  reply. 

"That  is  just  what  puzzles  me,  Miss  Bennett. 
It  seems  as  if  your  face  was  familiar,  and  yet  I 
could  never  have  met  you  before. " 

"Are  you  sure?"  She  looked  up  with  one  of 
those  expressions  of  childhood  days  when  she  had 
clung  to  him  and  begged  him  to  come  again  to  her 
in  Duke's  Lane. 

His  eyes  scanned  her;  his  thoughts  traveled  back 
many  years.  "How  like  Marie  Colchis  was  that 
expression,"  he  said  to  himself;  yet  he  gave  no 
utterance  to  his  thoughts. 

"She  was  dead,  dead  long  years  ago!"  Then, 
aloud,  he  slowly  said:    "Yes;   I  am  sure." 

"Then,  how  can  you  account  for  the  power  of 
attraction  which  draws  you  to  me?"  she  persisted. 

"I  know  not  its  cause,"  he  smilingly  returned, 
"unless  it  be  that  perhaps  all  men  are  similarly 
attracted.  I  am  but  mortal,  Miss  Bennett,  and  con- 
sequently cannot  resist  the  loadstone  of  so  much 
grace  and  loveliness." 

Thus  they  met,  and  thus  they  talked.  He  knew  her 
not,  nor  did  she  reveal  her  identity.  She  wished  to 
test  the  man  she  loved;     and  why?     Ask  a  woman ! 

Two  weeks  passed,  and  still  they  all  remained 
in  San  Francisco ;  but  the  next  day  was  to  see  them 
on  their  way  to  Washington;  the  President  had  sent 
an  imperative  summons  for  all  to  join  him  at  once. 

Junius  Cobb  had  seen  Marie  every  one     of    these 


400  A.    D.    20OO 

days;  had  walked  and  driven  and  been  her  escort 
everywhere.  In  fact,  he  had  been  by  her  side  dur- 
ing every  moment  that  propriety  would  allow.  A 
new  life  seemed  opened  to  him ;  he  laughed  and 
chatted  like  the  gayest;  he  was  witty"  and  bright, 
and  the  old  expression  of  sorrow  had  vanished  from 
his  face. 

He  seemed  to  live  in  her  smiles,  to  be  supremely 
happy  in  her  presence.  He  was  in  love;  this  time 
he  knew  it.  Did  he  ever  think  of  little  Marie  Col- 
chis? Yes,  often  and  often,  and  the  divinity  he  now 
worshiped  seemed  to  him  as  if  risen  from  the  soul 
of  her,  and  that  in  loving  the  former  he  still  main- 
tained his  allegiance  to  the  latter.  Leona,  to  him, 
was  his  old  love  Marie.  He  could  not  explain  the 
semblance,  yet  he  saw  that  it  existed.  He  loved 
Leona  Bennett;   he  thought  of  Marie  Colchis. 

Sitting  by  her  side  that  evening,  in  the  small, 
cozy  library,  whither  he  had  gently  led  her,  and 
whither  she  had  gladly,  willingly  gone,  he  quietly 
said,  "Miss  Bennett,  you  return  to  Washington 
to-morrow?" 

Turning  her  large  blue  eyes  upon  him,  she  asked, 
"And  do  you  not  go,  too,  Mr.  Cobb?" 

"It  all  depends,"  he  answered,  nervously. 

"Why,  I  thought  it  was  all  settled.  Mollie  told 
me  that  you  were  to  go.  Have  you  changed  your 
mind,  Mr.  Cobb?" 

"I  dislike  to  return  to  Washington,"  he  con- 
tinued, not  heeding  her  question,  "unless    I  can  dc 


A.    L).     2000  40I 

so  with   a  lighter  heart  than  I  took  away  with     me 
when  I  left." 

"You  ought  to  go  there  with  the  greatest  pleas- 
ure. Your  name  is  famous  throughout  the  world," 
and  she  looked  proudly  upon  him;  proud  of  the 
man  she  loved. 

But  fame  is   not    all     that    man  craves,"  he    re- 
turned. 

"What  more  can  man  desire  than  a  name  great  to  the 
world;  a  name  honored,  respected  and  loved?"  Her 
eyes  had  dropped,  while  his  were  fastened  upon  her 
with  love  intense. 

"Love."  He  whisperedthe  word  lowly  and  sweet- 
ly  in  her   ear  as  he    bent   over  her  drooping  form. 

Raising  her  eyes,  now  full  of  all  that  deep  love 
of  her  aching,  patient  heart,  she  met  his  ardent 
gaze. 

"And  can  you  not  have  that?"  she  asked,  in  tones 
so  low  as  to  be  almost  inaudible. 

"Miss  Bennett,"  he  sadly  returned,  "mine  is  a  pecul- 
iar position.  Listen  but  a  moment,  and  let  me  tell 
you  my  history. " 

Junius  Cobb  then  narrated  his  meeting  with 
Marie  Colchis;  how  he  had  loved  her,  but  as  a 
child;  how  he  had  promised  to  be  her  husband,  and 
how  he  had  forsaken  her  to  gratify  his  ambition. 
He  told  her  how  this  love  of  his  little  Marie  had 
come  to  him  in  all  its  intensity  since  his  return  to 
life,  yet  he  knew  that  she  was  lost  to  him  forever. 
He  informed  her  of  his    supposed  love     for     Mollie 

A.    D.     2UOO      26 


402  A.     D.    2000 

Craft,  and  of  his  sudden  discovery  that  his  heart 
could  never  be  given  to  her.  He  related  the  vision 
he  had  wherein  Marie  had  been  led  to  him  by  an 
angel.  And  during  all  this  recital  his  listener  had 
sat,  with  tears  in  her  eyes,  but  a  holy  feeling  of 
adoration  for  the  man  who  had  remembered  her  with 
such  love.  It  was  only  by  a  supreme  effort  that 
she  refrained  from  declaring  herself  and  falling 
into  the  arms  of  this  noble  man. 

"Miss  Bennett— Leona, "  gently  and  slowly;  "since 
my  eyes  have  beheld  you,  I  have  seen  but  one  form, 
have  known  but  one  name — Marie  Colchis.  Yours 
is  the  face,  the  voice,  the  grace  and  loveliness  that 
would  have  been  hers  at  your  age.  It  seems  that  in 
your  form  reposes  her  soul;  that  through  your  eyes 
beams  her  sweet  and  loving  nature.  Never  could  two 
beings  be  more  alike." 

As  he  spoke  the  words,  Marie's  overflowing  heart 
gave  vent  to  its  fullness  in  a  deep  sob. 

"I  know,  Leona,"  proceeded  Cobb,  as  he  noticed 
her  agitation,  "that  you  feel  sad  at  the  recital  of  my 
story;  your  great  heart — her  heart — responds  in  sym- 
pathy to  the  sufferings  of  others.  I  feel  that  the  vis- 
ion of  her  coming  has  been  realized;  that  though 
departed  from  this  earth  and  among  the  angels  in 
heaven,  she  has  sent  her  soul,  her  form,  her  mortal 
being,  back  again  to  earth  that  I  might  meet  my 
just  reward — life  or  death.  Marie  Colchis — for 
by  that  name  are  you  henceforth  in  my  heart — I 
love  you,  I  adore  you.     Is  it  to  be  life  or  death?" 


A.     D.    2000  403 

Amid  the  sobs  which  came  from  her  heart,  she 
asked:  "And  will  I  always  be  Marie  Colchis  to 
you,  Junius?  Will  you  always  bear  me  the  love 
you  profess  for  that  other?" 

"Yes;  a  thousand  times  yes,"  he  cried,  as  he 
arose  and  took  her  hand  in  his.  "As  my  life,  will 
I  love  you;  as  my  life  do  I  now  adore  you.  O 
Marie,  my  darling,  my  own.  Will  you  give  me  life? 
Can  you  love  me  in  return,  for  her  sake?"  pleadingly, 
as  he  gently  turned  the  beautiful  face  toward  him 
and  looked  into  her  tear-bedimmed  eyes. 

Her  heart  was  overflowing;  the  flood-gates  of  her 
love,  so  long  closed  and  barred,  were  about  to  break 
asunder;  her  soul  had  passed  out  into  his  keeping. 
With  a  passionate  cry,  she  threw  her  arms  about 
him,  and  wept  tears  of  joy.  Gently  he  drew  her 
closer  to  him,  and  kissed  her  lips;  kissed  away  the 
tear-drops   in  her  eyes. 

"You  love  me,  my  own,  my  darling!  "  he  cried. 
"Tell  me  that  you  do." 

"O  Junius;  as  I  love  my  God!"  Again  the  te^? 
of  joy  and  happiness  flowed  fast  and  furies,  .rcn: 
her  eyes. 

"And  you  reproach  me  not  :":a.  A  see  in  you 
my  former  love?" 

"No.  No  more  is  my  name  Leona  Bennett.  To 
you,  my  own,  my  noble  heart,  it  shall  ever  be  Marie 
Colchis.  By  that  name  alone  shall  you  henceforth 
know  me,  love  me,  and  be  my  husband."  Thus  she 
spoke  the  truth,  yet  kept  the  promise  she  had  made. 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

"Home  again,  at  last,"  gleefully  exclaimed 
Mollie,  as  the  double  drag  brought  the  whole  party 
from  the  depot  to  the  executive  mansion. 

The  President  and  Mrs.  Craft  met  them  at  the 
private  entrance,  and  gave  to  each  a  cordial  wel- 
come. Marie  Colchis  was  received  by  the  old 
people  as  a  beloved  niece,  for  Mollie  had,  in  a 
letter  written  some  weeks  before  to  her  father, 
partially  explained  the  situation  of  Marie,  whom 
she  wished  to  be  called  Leona  Bennett. 

Once  in  the  house,  the  several  members,  except- 
ing Mollie,  went  directly  to  their  rooms  to  change 
their  traveling  clothes;  but  she,  taking  her 
father  by  the  hand,  asked  him  and  her  mother 
to  give  her  a  few  moments  of  their  time,  as  she 
had  something  of  importance  to  relate.  Once  in 
the  library,  she  knelt  at  her  father's  feet,  and  re- 
lated the  whole  story  concerning  Marie  Colchis. 
She  told  of  finding  the  letter  in  Cobb's  room,  and 
of  her  journey  to  Guadalupe  Island,  and  the  rescue 
of  the  girl;  she  dwelt  upon  all  the  wonderful 
incidents  of  the  finding  of  the  cavern  and  its 
contents;  and  then  she  told  him  of  the  letter  which 
was  found  with  Marie,  and  the  relations  which  had 
existed  between  Marie  and  Junius  Cobb,  years 
ago;   that  Junius  was  ignorant  of  Marie's   identity, 

404 


A.    D.     2000 


4<->J 


but  was  in  love  with  her,  and  had  asked  her  to 
marry  him. 

The  iron  box  which  was  found  in  the  cavern,  and 
which  was  now  in  the  trunk,  was  next  spoken  of. 
Finally,  she  admitted  to  her  parents  her  love  for 
Lester,  and  his  adoration  of  her,  and  asked  for  their 
consent  to  their  union.  "And  this  is  not  all,  dear 
papa  and  mamma,"  she  said:  "Marie  Colchester  is 
Marie  Hathaway,  Lester's  sister;  I  brought  her  here 
to  win  the  love  of  Junius,  but  it  was  not  to  be, 
for" — and  she  hesitated — "for  she  is  engaged  to 
Hugh." 

It  was  several  minutes  ere  Mi.  and  Mrs.  Craft 
could  grasp  the  whole  situation,  the  revelations 
had  come  so  fast  and  free;  but,  finally,  the  old  man 
took  his  wife's  hand  in  his,  and  slowly,  but  with 
a  smile  of  pleasure,  said:  "Mamma,  we  were  young 
once. " 

Mollie  accepted  the  words  and  expression  of  his 
face  as  evidence  that  a  happy  termination  would 
end  the  hide-and-seek  courtship  of  herself  and 
Lester;  she  kissed  them  both,  and  ran  to  communi- 
cate the  good  news  to  her  lover. 

It  was  evening  of  that  day.  A  happy,  jolly,  bright 
party  was  congregated  in'  the  private  parlor  of  the 
executive  mansion.  In  the  corner,  by  the  great 
mirror,  sat  Junius  Cobb  and  Marie  Colchis,  his 
eyes  drinking  in  the  beauty  of  her  being,  and  his 
thoughts  wrapped  in  a  contemplation  of  her  grace 
and  loveliness.     On  the  sofa,  across  from  them,  sat 


4-06  A.     D.    2000 

Hugh  and  Marie  Hathaway;  Lester  was  alone  in  a 
big  arm-chair  near  the  window,  while  Mollie  stood 
in  the  center  of  the  room  under  the  electric  lights, 
bright,  radiant  and  vivacious. 

"Three  spooney  couples  !"  she  cried.  "No;  I  mean 
two  and  a  half — and  you  are  the  half,  Lester," 
slyly  turning  her  head  toward  him.  "Six  hearts 
beating  as  one;  all  in  unison,  but  none  engaged. 
He  is  coming,  papa  is  coming;  and  I  advise  some 
young  gentlemen  whom  I  could  name  to  step  boldly 
to  the  front  and  ask — well,  I  think  I'll  say  no 
more,  but  I  pity  you.  Papa  holds  his  daughters  in 
an  iron  fist,"  and  she  clenched  her  little  hand  to 
emphasize  her  words. 

A  moment  later  and  the  President  and  his  wife 
entered  the  room,  and  all  arose  to  meet  them. 

"Be  seated,  my  children,"  he  kindly  said.  "For 
the  first  time  in  my  life  I  feel  that  I  have  three 
beautiful  daughters  and  three  noble  sons.  I  have 
asked  you  to  meet  me  here  that  I  might  bring 
complete  happiness  to  three  pairs  of  loving  hearts. 
I  know  all  your  secrets,  dear  children;  everything 
is  known  to  me." 

He  paused.  An  expression  of  surprise  came  over 
the  face  of  Hugh,  while  'anxiety  was  depicted  in 
Lester's  countenance.  Marie  Colchis  turned  her 
eyes  upon  the  speaker,  but  said  nothing.  As  for 
Cobb,  he  thought  it  all  quite  natural,  as,  no  doubt, 
Marie  had  told  her  uncle  of  his  proposal. 

"I  will    not  keep    you  long    in    suspense.     You, 


A.   D.    20OO  407 

Lester,"  and  he  turned  toward  him.  "Love  my 
daughter.  You  have  asked  for  her  hand  more  than 
once.  I  know  she  returns  that  love;  and  as  her 
happiness  is  next  my  heart,  I  will  not  bring  sorrow 
to  her  by  refusing  your  request."  He  stepped  for- 
ward, and  took  the  hand  of  Mollie,  whose  cheeks 
were  red  with  blushes,  and  led  her  to  where  Lester 
stood,  having  risen  from  his  chair.  "Lester, 
take  her;  she  is  yours.  Be  a  good,  kind  husband 
to  her,  is  all  I  ask." 

Lester  took  the  fair  girl  in  his  arms,  and  im- 
printed the  first  lawful  kiss  upon  her  lips. 

"And  now,"  continued  Mr.  Craft,  "as  two  hearts 
are  thus  made  happy,  let  me  seek  another  pair. 
Hugh;    stand  up,  my  son." 

Hugh  arose,  gently  raising  Marie  Hathaway  from 
the  sofa,  and  moved  toward  his  father.  "Father," 
he  said,  "here  is  another  pair." 

Marie  hung  her  head  in  confusion,  but  Hugh  was 
bold  and  fearless. 

"I  know  all  about  you  two  also,"  said  Mr.  Craft, 
smiling.  "I  am  more  than  satisfied  to  receive  such 
a  daughter  as  you,  Marie  Hathaway."  The  girl 
started  as  her  name  was  pronounced,  and  a  guilty 
blush  mantled  her  cheek  at  the  thought  of  the  decep- 
tion she  had  practiced  upon  this  good  old  man. 
"Unto  my  son  I  give  you,  if  it  be  ycrar  wish  that 
he  should  become  your  husband." 

He  paused.     Marie    made  no  reply,  save  to  pass 


4-08  A.     D.    2000 

her  hand  through  Hugh's  arm,  and  nestle  closer  to 
his  heart. 

"Hugh,  take  her,  and  bless  God  for  the  prize 
which  you  have  received."  Hugh  led  the  girl  away 
with  joy  in  his  heart. 

"Junius" — the  President  spoke  the  word  low,  and 
with  more  embarrassment  than  he  had  used  in  ad- 
dressing the  others — "I  know  not  how  to  commence. 
She  who  stands  by  your  side  is  not  my  niece,  but 
my  daughter,"  and  he  took  Marie  Colchis'  hand  in 
his,  and  drew  her  toward  him.  "She  is  my  daugh- 
ter; no  blood  makes  the  tie,  but  that  of  love  has 
given  her  to  me.  She  stands  before  you  alone  in 
this  life.  No  father  or  mother,  brother  or  sister, 
or  relative  has  she  in  the  wide  world."  The  tears 
were  now  falling  from  Marie.' s  eyes,  and  she  clung 
closer  to  her  adopted  father.  Hugh  and  Lester 
looked  on  in  silence  but  wonder.  "She  has  come," 
he  continued,  "like  a  radiant  star  in  our  universe, 
and  from  a  remote  period  of  time.  She  lived  years 
ago — a  hundred  or  more.  Do  not  start,  Junius,"  as 
the  other  moved  a  step,  and  stood  gazing  on  Marie's 
face  with  a  look  of  partial  recognition.  "Like  you, 
she  lived,  and  died,  and  lived  again.  The  same 
methods  which  were  used  to  prolong  your  life  were 
used  to  give  life  again  to  this  fair  girl.  The  hand 
that  assisted  at  your  interment  prepared  the  casket 
wherein  his  daughter  has  lain  for  over  a  century. 
She  is — " 

The  wild    excitement    of    Cobb's  soul,   paralyzed 


A.    D.     2000  409 

for  a  moment  by  the  words  of  the  other,  now  broke 
forth  in  a  hoarse,  pathetic  cry — "Marie  Colchis!  " 
and  he  rushed  forward,  and  almost  crushed  the  fair 
form  in  his  strong  arms.  Regardless  of  all  present, 
he  kissed  her  face,  her  lips — kissed  her  with  all 
the  depth  and  passion  of  a  man  receiving  back 
from  death  the  being  divine  of  his  heart. 

When  Cobb's  feelings  had  calmed  sufficiently 
for  him  to  realize  the  situation,  the  President 
led  him  and  Marie  to  their  chairs.  "Take  her, 
Junius;  God  has  ordained  it!"  he  said,  with  a 
choking  sensation  in  his  throat.  Without  letting 
too  long  a  pause  ensue,  he  drew  from  his  pocket 
a  paper,  unfolded  it,  and  said:  "Listen,  my  chil- 
dren, to  the  last  words  of  that  girl's  father,  Jean 
Colchis." 

In  a  low  tone  he  read: 

"Guadalupe  Island,  December  15,  1897. 

"Junius:  To  you  I  leave  these  words!  Dead 
though  thou  art,  yet  a  voice  tells  me  that  you 
will  live  again.  In  this  chamber,  with  the  inan- 
imate body  of  my  darling  daughter  lying  beside 
me,  I  write  my  last  words  to  mortal  man. 

"From  the  day  you  left  us,  and  for  years  after,  the 
heart  of  Marie  has  lain  like  a  stone  in  her  bosom; 
no  feeling  but  that  of  love  for  you  has  gained 
entrance  there. 

"Wealth  poured  in  upon  me,  and  I  endeavored  by 
its  aid  to  surround  her  with  life,  luxury  and  change 


4IQ  A.     D.    2000 

of  scene,  hoping  thus  to  turn  her  thoughts  into 
other  channels  than  of  you.  It  was  in  vain  !  Sad 
and  sorrowful  she  passed  the  days  and  years  in 
hope  of  your  return. 

"I  did  not  tell  her  that  you  had  entered  into  a 
state  of  inanimation  from  which  you  would  not 
awake  until  years  had  passed.  I  could  not  crush 
her  heart!  The  days  came  and  went,  and  no  change 
took  place.  I  felt  that  she  was  dying  of  a  broken 
heart.  As  the  conviction  forced  itself  upon  me,  I 
prayed  to  God  for  help.  Long  and  long  I  debated 
the  situation.  The  knowledge  was  apparent  that 
she  would  die  ere  many  days  had  passed  unless 
means  were  promptly  taken  to  remove  the  sorrow 
in  her  heart  on  account  of  your  prolonged  absence. 
What  should  I  do?  I  had  assisted  in  your  prepara- 
tions for  a  future  existence;  I  knew  of  the  methods 
you  had  taken  to  continue  life  in  your  body. 

"'Junius  can  never  return  to  my  daughter,'  I 
cried,  in  the  agony  of  my  soul.  Why  not  send  that 
daughter  to  him?'  If  you  lived,  she  might  again 
live,  through  the  means  I  might  employ.  If  you 
did  not  survive  the  ordeal,  then  it  were  better 
that  she,  also,  should  die.  I  argued  with  myself; 
I  won.  I  sought  for  a  spot  where  no  human  being 
would  find  the  resting  place  of  my  beloved  daugh- 
ter until  the  time  should  arrive  for  her  deliver- 
ance. I  selected  the  island  of  Guadalupe,  far  from 
the  busy  world.  I  prepared  the  chambers  and  made 
them  beautiful. 


A.     D.    2000  4II 

"My  daughter  came,  and  for  nearly  a  year  we 
lived  in  quiet  "but  sad  community.  But,  alas!  it 
was  of  no  avail  !  I  saw  her  dying  before  my  eyes. 
I  resolved  to  subject  her  to  a  living  death,  in 
the  hope  that  she  might  live  again    and    be  happy. 

"I  have  prepared  her  body,  even  as  you  had  told 
me  yours  was  to  be  prepared.  I  inclose  her  fair 
form  in  a  golden  coffin,  as  a  fitting  receptacle  for  one 
so  true  and  noble.  With  immortelles  for  her  death, 
should  she  die,  I  surround  the  casket;  with  orange 
blossoms  at  her  head,  in  the  hope  of  future  life 
and  of  her  marriage  to  you,  I  lay  her  to  rest. 

"In  an  iron  box  at  the  foot  of  her  coffin  you  will 
find  my  last  testament,  and  the  dowry  I  bequeath 
my  daughter.  I  have  prepared  everything  for  this 
moment.  That  you  might  know  this  place,  I 
put  the  letter  into  the  copper  cylinder;  I  bored 
through  the  walls  of  your  tomb,  and  pushed  in 
the  case;  and  when  I  heard  it  fall  on  the  floor  of 
your  sepulchre,  I  sealed  up  the  hole.  I  knew  if 
you  lived  again  you  would  rescue,  your  Marie. 
I  felt,  that  if  you  died,  it  was  better  that  she  died 
also. 

"The  time  has  come!  I  lay  this  letter  upon  the 
snowy  bosom  of  her  who  loved  you  as  never  woman 
loved  a  man.  O  God!  can  mortal  know  the  an- 
guish that  seizes  my  heart  as  I  am  about  to  seal  the 
lid  which  closes  her  sweet  face  in  a  living  tomb! 

"When  these  words  are  read  by  thee,  O  my 
daughter,   if  ever  thine  eyes  shall  brighten  again  in 


412  A.    D.     2000 

J ife,  my  bones  will  lie  bare  and  naked  at  the  foot 
of  thy  coffin.  Good-bye,  my  darling  daughter.  I 
close  the  lid!    I  seal  thy  fate! 

"Jean  Colchis." 

Without  allowing  the  sadness  of  the  moment  to 
weigh  upon  their  feelings,  the  President  stepped  to 
the  door,  and  soon  returned,  followed  by  a  servant 
bearing  the  little  iron  box  which  Dr.  Town  had 
carried  on  his  saddle  from  Guadulupe  Island,  and 
which  Mollie  had  surrendered  to  her  father. 

Soon  it  had  been  opened,  and  its  contents  exposed 
to  view.  A  bundle  of  papers  was  on  top,  and  these 
the  President  took  out  and  gave  to  Cobb. 

He  took  them,  and  opened  the  first  paper:  it  was 
the  will  of  Jean  Colchis,  giving  to  Junius  Cobb,  on 
the  day  of  his  marriage  '  to  Marie  Colchis,  all 
money  due  from  the  government  of  the  United 
States  on  the  contract  of  sale  of  the  invention  of  the 
sympathetic  telegraph.  The  second  paper  examined 
was  the  original  contract  for  the  transfer  of  this 
invention  to  the  government  in  consideration  of 
$5,000,000  paid  down  and  a  perpetuity  of  one-half 
of  one  per  cent,  on  the  gross  earnings  derived  from 
its  use. 

"Why!  "  exclaimed  the  President,  as  Cobb  read 
the  contract,  "you  will  be  one  of  the  richest  men 
in  the  country.  As  near  as  I  remember,  there  are 
over  a  hundred  millions  of  dollars  lying  unclaimed 
in  the  Treasury  on  this  contract." 


t&BfAx-yar,'}/. 


A.    1).     2O0O  413 

The  third  paper  found  was  the  formula  for  mak- 
ing the  needles  used  in  the  invention,  sympathetic. 

"Ah!"  cried  Cobb.  "This  is  most  important! 
Not  but  that  the  wealth  given  Marie  and  me  is 
most  acceptable;  but  now,"  and  he  held  up  the  pa- 
per, "now  the  world  will  again  know  and  make  use 
of  the  secret  of  sympathizing  the  needles." 

"And  you  forget  another  thing,  Junius,"  broke  in 
Hugh.  "You  are  five  millions  of  dollars  richer  by 
that  paper,  as  that  is  the  reward  offered  by  the  gov- 
ernment for  the  discovery  of  the  lost  secret." 

The  last  paper  in  the  box  was  then  read: 

"That  the  wealth  which  I  possess  may  descend 
to  my  daughter  unimpaired  by  time  and  change, 
I  have  converted  the  $5,000,000  which  the  govern- 
ment paid  me  for  my  invention  into  the  sack  of 
stones  underneath  this  paper.  J.    C. " 

Cobb  reached  his  hand  into  the  box,  and  with- 
drew a  silken  bag.  Opening  it,  he  poured  the  con- 
tents upon  the  table. 

All  started  with  exclamations  of  astonishment  at 
the  sight;  and  well  they  might.  The  center  of  the 
table  seemed  ablaze  with  a  million  sparkling, 
dancing  rays  of  light.  Five  million  dollar's 
worth  of  precious  stones  lay  before  them — the 
dowry  of  Marie  Colchis. 

"Junius,"  said  the  President,  laying  his  hand 
upon  the  young  man's  shoulder,  "wealth  has  rolled 
in  upon  you  by  millions,  but  above  all  the  wealth 
you  have  received  is  the  fair   prize    you  have  won, 


414  A.    D.    2O0O 

your  future  wife,"  and  he  kissed  the  blushing 
face  of  Marie.  "One  more  gift  I  can  add  to  the 
many  you  have  received,"  and  he  drew  from  his 
pocket  a  folded  paper  bearing  the  great  seal  of  the 
Navy  Department  upon  it.  "Your  commission  as 
Admiral  of  the  Aerial  Navy  of  the  United  States," 
and  he  handed  the  paper  to  Junius  Cobb.  "Your 
discovery  of  meteorlene  has  revolutionized  warfare, 
and  you  soon  will  command  a  powerful  fleet  of 
aerial  war  ships." 

Cobb  bowed  low  as  he  accepted  the  paper,  and 
expressed  his  gratitude  to  the  President  for  this 
additional  proof  of  his  generosity. 

"I  was  not  far  wrong,"  exclaimed  Hugh,  grasping 
his  hand,  "when  I  saluted  you  as  Admiral,  on  board 
of  the  Orion." 

"No,  Hugh,"  returned  Cobb;  "and  I  wish  I  had 
not  been,  when  I  returned  it  to  you  as  my  Commo- 
dore." 

"And  you  were  not,  Junius,"  laughed  the  Presi- 
dent, as  he  drew  another  paper  from  his  pocket. 
"Your  commission  as  Commodore  in  the  Aerial 
Navy,  Hugh,"  handing  him  the  paper. 

"And  what  does  my  hubby  get?"  cried  Mollie, 
pouting  her  pretty  lips. 

"A  colonelcy  in  the  army  for  distinguished 
service  during  the  war,"  and  the  President  smiled 
as  he  took  a  third  paper  from  his  pocket  and  gave 
it  to  Lester. 

"And  now,"  said  Cobb,  after  a  pause,  "as  wealth 


A.    D.     2000 


415 


more  than  I  can  use  has  been  heaped  upon  me, 
I  wish  to  add  my  mite  to  the  happiness  of  the 
moment.  Hugh,"  and  he  took  up  the  third  paper 
from  the  bundle  on  the  table,  "here  is  the  secret 
of  the  sympathetic  telegraph;  it  is  worth  five 
million  dollars.  Take  it,  and  divide  it  between 
yourself  and  Lester,  as  a  wedding  gift  from    me." 

Then  Marie  stepped  forward,  and  filled  her  two 
hands  with  glittering  stones  from  the  pile  on  the 
table.  "Take  these,  my  dear  sisters,"  she  said,  as 
she  poured  them  into  the  laps  of  the  two  aston- 
ished girls-  "take  these  as  a  bridal  gift  from 
Marie  Colchis." 


THE    END 


A  LITERARY   GEM. 

Mademoiselle  de  Maupin 

A  ROMANCE  OF  LOVE  AND  PASSION. 

By    THEOPHILE    GAUTIER. 


(2mo,  413  -pages.    Paper  covers.    Illustrated  with  16 
Half-tones  from  the  original  etchings 

by  Toudouze.  j, 


The  golden  book  of  spirit  and  sense,  tho  Holy  Writ  of  beauty."—  A.  C.  S7vinb^. 

"Gautier  is  an  inimitable  model.  ,  lis  manner  is  so  light  and  true,  so  really  cre- 
ative, his  fancy  so  alert,  his  taste  so  ha^py,  his  humor  so  genial,  that  he  makes  illusion 
almost  as  contagious  as  laughter." — Mr.  Henry  Jantes.  s,.  ,.„ 


"MADEMOISE'LE  DE  MAUriN,"  the  latest  product  of  the  pea  of 
Theophile  Gautier,  is  considere-l  by  the  best  critics  of  this  inimitable 
Frenchman  to  be  his  mo  t  artist.c,  witty  and  audacious  woik.  In  writing 
this  charming  novel,  G  utier  has  displayed  all  the  artistic  coloring  that 
atmospheres  the  romantic  school  of  literature  this  vei-atile  author  has 
created. 

"MADEMOISELLE  DE  M/UPIN"  is  alive  with  the  characteristic  vigor 
shown  in  "Albertus,"  "Lis  Jeunes — France,"  and  "Poesies  de 
Theophile  Gautier,"  his  earlier  works,  but  is  more  delicate,  and 
abounds  in  the  subtle  cynicism  whi  h  contrasts  so  delightfully  with  the 
pungent  wit  that  sparkles  on  every  page. 

The  book  is  a  marvel  of  beauty,  both  from  an  artistic  as  well  as  a 
typographical  standpoint 


FOR  SALE  AT  ALL  BOO  '  STORES  AND  NEWS  STANDS  AND  ON  ALL 
RAILROAD   TRAINS. 

LAIRD  &  LEE,  Publishers 

CHICAGO,    ILLINOIS. 


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